


Beautiful

by andreastevens



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bullying, Childhood, Cute, Dating, Disability, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Jonerys, Modern Era, Motherhood, Nursing, Past Domestic Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Romance, single mom
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-20
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-07-09 02:56:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19880467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andreastevens/pseuds/andreastevens
Summary: Daenerys is a single mom raising Rhaego; her seven year old son who is not like the other first graders. She loves him with all of her heart, but she has rarely thought of herself over these past few years. When she meets her son’s new teacher, things begin to change for the better. However, the demons from Dany's past lurk, and they threaten to uproot the delicate balance she has built for her family.





	1. A Rough Start

**Author's Note:**

> So this idea popped in my head and I decided to write it out! I've wanted to write a modern AU for a while now so here it is! Enjoy!

“Rhaego, if you don’t get out of that bed I’m going to have to come drag you out myself!” Dany cried from the bottom of the stairs, the laundry basket sitting on her hip. 

“I’m coming mama,” he replied sweetly, cringing from the memory of Monday morning.

He searched around for his glasses on the nightstand, and the world came into focus as he stood up. Using the wall for support, Rhaego took his crutch and slowly slid down the stairs. He wrapped his arms around Dany when he made it down, and she kissed him on the forehead and tussled his dark curls.

“Good morning pumpkin, let’s go get breakfast.”

He took her hand and together they sat at the very small dining table cramped into the very small townhouse. Rhaego’s face fell when he saw cereal on the table.

“I thought you were making waffles this morning mama.”

“I know honey, but my boss called and asked if I could work an extra shift this morning, and if your surprise is going to happen this weekend, then some extra money would be nice. So, we get cereal this morning,” she said, pouring the milk into his bowl.

He smiled, “you still won’t tell me what my surprise is?”

“Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise then would it?” she teased, braiding the last strand of her hair back.

The car ride to school was quiet, and Dany couldn’t help but notice Rhaego’s solemn demeanor as he gazed out of the window. He was a tiny child, he had always been tiny. That had been Dany’s foremost thought when she held him for the first time: just how little he was. Drogo had resented him for how slightest thing could break him, but all Dany felt was the need to protect him. Now that he was nearly eight years old, she still felt the same way. He was born with a neurological disorder that affected muscles and movement, especially in his legs, but with years of physical therapy and a crutch, Rhaego could walk. Dany couldn’t help but wonder if he was beginning to feel self-conscious about his legs around the other kids at school.

“Mama?” he asked quietly from his car seat.

“Yes pumpkin?” she smiled in the mirror.

“Can we read my science magazine tonight? I peeked and there’s an entire story on marine mammals,” he said, his voice full of excitement.

“Of course we can my future marine biologist. I hope they have something about dolphins, they’re my favorite.”

“I like dolphins too Mama, I’ll ask the librarian if they have books about dolphins you can read to me.”

They pulled up to school, and she opened the back door, handing him his crutch. He was reluctant to get out of the car, and Dany smiled sympathetically, helping him out.  
“Aunt Sansa is picking you up from school today; I’ll swing by her apartment to get you when I’m done work. I love you.”

“Bye mama,” he said, walking away slowly, “save someone’s life today.”

“Learn something new today,” she said, completing their mantra.  
…  
Daenerys parked at The Children’s Hospital of Winterfell while trying to squeeze every last drop of coffee out of her mug. She grabbed her paperwork out of the passenger side of the seat and closed her eyes for a moment, praying that it would be a light day. She opened the car door and was hit with a blast of cold air. She knew winter was well on its way. Gods she hated the cold.

She was greeted by Dr. Tyrion Lannister as she was making her way to the NICU.

“Good morning Dany, thank you for coming in on such short notice.”

“Oh it’s really no problem, what’s going on today?”

“We have a baby being airlifted from Dorne, Brienne’s performing a rather new heart surgery on him tomorrow. I asked you to come in this morning because I want to assign you especially to this case. You’re the best neonatal nurse we have, and this kid needs all the help he can get,” Tyrion sighed.

“Don’t they all?” she murmured, thanking Tyrion for the consideration and taking the files.

Two hours later, Daenerys sat in the NICU alone with the baby situated in her lap. She was humming to him softly after he had fussed for nearly an hour. He eventually settled to sleep, and Dany was relieved when the heart monitor settled. She sat there for a while longer, and Tyrion quietly came in the door.

“How’s it going?” he whispered.

“Just fine, I cleaned his PICC line and he’s responding well to the new meds. We’re sitting here for a moment, I think he likes being held,” she said, smiling down at the baby.

“I’m glad he’s settling in. I just wanted to let you know that your son’s school called, they said you need to call as quickly as possible.”

“Did they say what for?” she asked, alarmed.

“No, just that it was urgent. If you want settle him into the incubator and take the call, they sounded pretty stressed.”

“The last time they called me with an urgent message, they had found Rhaego reading in the library rather than playing outside at recess. I can’t imagine what infamous crime he’s committed this time,” Dany smirked, very carefully lowering the baby into the incubator.

She sat down in the break room and dialed the number.

“Hello, Winterfell Elementary,” the receptionist answered. 

“Hi, this is Daenerys Targaryen, Rhaego’s mother. I was told to call as soon as possible.”

“Let me connect you to principal Lannister, one moment.”

Daenerys looked up at the ceiling and twirled her foot; she had more important things to be doing.

“Good afternoon Miss Targaryen, this is Principal Cersei Lannister. Your son has been in a fight, and he’s injured. We’d appreciate it if you could come down to the school and pick him up.”

Dany’s blood ran cold, and she stiffened.

“You’d appreciate it? What the hell happened to my son?” 

“He’ll survive, just please get down here as soon as you can, okay? Bye now.”

Dany held back tears as she quickly packed her bag and headed for the front desk. She saw Tyrion in the corner, and she quickly approached him.

“Tyrion, I am so sorry, but my son’s been hurt at school and they need me to go pick him up now. I’ll do everything I can to be back, but they won’t tell me how badly he’s hurt, I don’t know anything,” Dany said, her breaths becoming sharper.

“Dany, it’s okay, you go ahead. I really just wanted you to meet our new patient. Don’t worry about coming back, go take care of your baby now,” Tyrion said with a gentle smile.

She thanked him graciously and began a brisk stroll to the parking lot, praying that her Rhaego was okay.


	2. Conversations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I wanted to thank everyone for leaving such nice comments on the first chapter, they're very motivating! When I started this I wasn't sure where I wanted this to go, but I've been developing some more solid ideas over the past few days. The first couple chapters obviously serve mainly to establish plot lines and characters, so I apologize if it's a little slow to start. Just a note, Cersei is pretty evil in this chapter, so if you like her this might not be the story for you. Enjoy!

Dany stormed into Winterfell Elementary School, brushing past the receptionists and straight into Cersei’s office. This was not the first time she had been here, debating with Cersei when her son preferred to stay in the library at lunch or trying to explain to her why he couldn’t run in gym class.

She didn’t bother knocking, and her heart sank when she opened the door. Rhaego was sitting in the corner, holding a piece of gauze to his cheek. His shoulders were shaking, and he held his broken glasses in his other hand. Across the room were two children nearly as tall as Dany, their arms crossed as they pouted. Cersei was reclined in her chair, and she gave a hallow smile to Daenerys.

“Well, Ms. Targaryen, thanks for showing up, take a seat, make yourself comfortable.”

Dany ran to Rhaego and sank to her knees in front of him. Once she got close enough that he could tell it was her, he started crying and wrapped his arms around her.

“I’m sorry Mama, I’m sorry,” he sobbed.

“Shh, it’s okay pumpkin, it’s okay,” she cooed.

Dany sat on the chair and pulled him into her lap. She peeled back the gauze to see a rather deep gash across his face. She continued to apply pressure and he rested his head on her shoulder.

“What happened?” she directed to Cersei slowly, trying to control her anger.

“Well, it appears your son was trying to escape recess again.”

“Well, that doesn’t explain the broken glasses and the fucking gash on his face, now does it?” Dany seethed.

“Please control your language Ms. Targaryen, we have innocent ears here. While your son was in the hall, these two boys decided to pick on him.” Cersei smiled, “I saw it and was able to stop it, but not before your son tripped and broke his glasses.”

“Pick on him? They attacked him! He might need stitches!”

Cersei sighed, and spun a pen in her hand.

“It’s not exactly their fault he fell down, they were just roughhousing. To avoid these sorts of incidents from happening again, we’ve decided to move Rhaego to another class.”

“How were they even in the same class? These kids are not first graders, they’re nearly as tall as I am!”

“Ms. Targaryen, please relax. These two boys are in 5th grade, but Rhaego’s classroom is in their hallway. If we put him in another class, we can avoid interactions between the three.”

“Will you be punishing those two,” Dany growled, glaring at the two boys.

“Yes, all three will be suspended for the rest of the week. They can all return Monday, and we will forget about the entire debacle.”

Daenerys felt a fire burning within her, but she took a breath, refusing to sink to Cersei’s level.

“Let me just get this straight, you’re going to suspend my son for being pushed over in the hallway?”

“No, I’m suspending these two boys for roughhousing in the hallway, and your son for sneaking out of recess again. Now, I’d really like for this to be over, so here is the phone number to your son’s new teacher, Mr. Snow. You can set up a meeting, or explain the situation; whatever you want to do is fine. I’ll let him know your son is coming, and he’s welcome to start on Monday.”

“Fine,” Dany spat, gently sliding Rhaego off of her lap and taking the card.

“Where are these kids’ parents?” Dany asked as she helped Rhaego stand up.

“Oh, I didn’t feel it necessary to have them come in. I gave them a phone call, and they’ll be here to get them at the end of the day. Plus, when I call them, their Moms _and_ Dads show up, and I didn’t want the room to be too crowded,” Cersei explained.

Dany closed her eyes, took Rhaego’s hand, and led him out of the door. She glared at the boys still sitting, and they looked down at the floor.

“Bye now!” Cersei sang as Dany slammed the door.

Dany lifted Rhaego into the car and strapped him in his car seat.

“Just hold the gauze there pumpkin, we’re going to stop at the pharmacy and I’ll get better bandages for you. You don’t need stitches; it’s already almost stopped bleeding.”

“Mama, are you mad at me?” He asked, his eyes gazing at the floor.

“Rhaego, look at me. Nothing that happened today was your fault, do you understand me?”

“But, Ms. Lannister said that it wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t leave recess early,” he added.

“Ms. Lannister is a bad person Rhaego. She doesn’t understand you; she doesn’t understand people who are different. Don’t worry about what she says to you. And those boys, if they ever so much as look at you the wrong way, you tell your teacher, or tell me, and I’ll handle it.”

He sniffled and nodded, and Dany wiped away his tears with her thumb.

“I just wanted to ask about the dolphin books,” he whimpered, and Dany had to hold back her own tears as her heart was split in two.

“We will go to the public library tomorrow and check out as many as you want. I’m proud of you Rhaego, you were very brave today.”

“Thank you Mama,” he whispered, grabbing her hand for just a moment.

…

By the time they got home from the pharmacy and the eye doctor, it was nearly dinner time. Dany and Rhaego were snuggled on the couch watching cartoons when they heard a knock on the door. Dany looked at Rhaego and grinned.

“Who could that be?” she teased.

Rhaego smiled for the first time that afternoon,

“Is it my surprise?”

“Well, not exactly, but I think you’ll still be very happy,” she said, kissing him on the top of the head before getting up to answer it.

When she opened the door, Sansa rushed right in and ran over to Rhaego.

“Oh Rhaego honey are you okay? I’ve been worried sick about you all afternoon.”

“I’m okay Aunt Sansa,” Rhaego said, looking to Dany for help as she wrapped him in a big hug.

Rickon still stood in the doorway, being weighed down by two grocery bags in his hands. Dany quickly took them, and ushered him inside before shutting the door.

“Oh, I brought Rickon because Mom had to run some errands and Dad’s away on business this week. You know, I get one day off from school and everyone’s got me lined up for childcare,” she teased, finally letting Rhaego free.

“That’s gonna be a really cool scar,” Rickon said, pointing to the bandages on Rhaego’s face.

Rhaego smiled and shrugged.

“Maybe.”

“Boys, let’s go! These waffles aren’t going to make themselves,” Sansa yelled from the kitchen.

Rhaego’s face lit up and he gasped in excitement, filling Dany’s heart with joy. They made an absolute mess in the kitchen, melted chocolate chips on the table, whipped cream all over the floor, and bits of waffle batter in Sansa’s and Dany’s hair. After they ate and cleaned up, Dany and Sansa collapsed on the couch while the boys played with Legos.

“Thank you for bringing Rickon, he really needed a friend today,” Dany said, watching the boys play.

“Oh, it was nothing, I’m glad he’s doing okay. Are you alright Dany, that couldn’t have been easy for you.”

Tears spilled over Dany’s eyes and Sansa looked to her sympathetically.

“I just wish I knew how to protect him. I thought everything would be okay when I got us away from Drogo, but it’s not. Sometimes I wish he was a baby again so that I could just carry him everywhere, and he’d be right next to me. It was so much easier then.”

“Dany, I’m not a mom, but from what I’ve seen you’re doing a damn good job. He’s a happy kid, he’s smart, and kind, and you love him dearly. That’s all that matters. But Daenerys, have you thought about yourself in the past seven years?”

“Well, the other night, when Rhaego was asleep, I watched a movie by myself and drank a glass of wine in the bathtub. It was glorious.”

Sansa rolled her eyes, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Well what then, that’s about as luxurious as it gets around here.”

“Have you been on a date? Have you gotten any?” Sansa said with a grin.

“Sansa Stark!” Dany cried, “I thought we’d agreed years ago that that part of my life was over.”

“Well, that was a long time ago! You had a baby keeping your hands full, but now, it would be easier to get back in the game. Oh please, please, please let me set you up with someone from law school. They’re all charming, and smart, and handsome, they’re perfect.”

Dany huffed and Sansa looked to her with pleading eyes,

“I’ll think about it,” she conceded.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” Sansa smirked, “come on Rickon, Mom’s gonna wonder where we’ve been when she gets back!”

Dany stood in the doorway and waved as Sansa and Rickon drove away. She sat on the couch and held her head in her hands as Rhaego finished cleaning up.

_I don’t need a man, I don’t want a man. Remember what happened the last time._

She was startled back to reality when Rhaego shook her shoulders.

“Mama, they’re all put away.”

“Good job, let’s head upstairs; if you’re quick enough in the bath I think we’ll have time for that science magazine,” she winked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	3. Relax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany tries to get through a very long day, and finally meets with her son's new teacher, Mr. Snow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry this took so long to update, I was away for the week. More regular updates will follow! Thank you so so much to those that commented, it is so cool to see that you're invested in the story and it is truly very motivating! Enjoy!

Dany slammed the snooze button and shoved her head in between two pillows to block the second alarm. It was 3:30 am, and she had an hour and a half before she had to be at work. She had the overwhelming urge to cry, but she groaned instead and stalked into the bathroom. Showering would usually wake her up, but no matter how hot or cold she turned the water, there was no use. She dried her hair, pulled it back into a braided design, and dressed in her lovely light blue scrubs. She went into Rhaego’s room and slowly turned the light on. He was sound asleep, his arms wrapped around his stuffed animal dog. Carefully sitting on the side of his bed, Dany gently rubbed his back to wake him up.

“Rhaego, I’m sorry, but you’ve gotta get up pumpkin. I’ve got to go to work.”

“Who’s watching me today?” he asked groggily as he rolled over.

“Missandei and Grey, I talked to them last night, and they’re going to take you to the library today.”

Rhaego shot up with a burst of energy that startled Dany.

“What was that?” she laughed.

“I can finally get those books!” he exclaimed in excitement. 

Dany chuckled and Rhaego wrapped his arms around her. She kissed the top of his head, and smiled when he kissed her on the cheek.

“Let me clean your cut and change your bandages Rhaego, come to the bathroom with me.”

He held onto Dany’s arm for support, wobbled into the bathroom, and sat on the toilet seat while Dany put more Neosporin on his face and replaced the Band-Aid.

“Does it hurt pumpkin?” 

“A little, I couldn’t sleep on that side, and it hurts when I move too fast. But I’m being brave like you said Mama.”

“That’s my boy,” she smiled.

She sat on the edge of his bed as he got dressed. Rhaego was very independent in the mornings, as Dany had trained him out of necessity, but this morning she felt like he needed her company, so she stayed while he got ready.

“Can we read my new books together as soon as you get home tonight?” he asked while rolling up his socks.

“Of course we can, but remember, it won’t be until about dinner time. I have a 12 hour shift today, and I have to meet with your new teacher at 5:30.”

Rhaego’s face sunk as the thought of school raced through his head. Dany felt bad for ruining his moment, and she took his face in both of her hands.

“It’ll be okay Rhaego, I promise. Try this new teacher, and if you don’t feel safe or those boys bother you, we will find a new school, or something. I will protect you, okay?”

He nodded and smiled at her.

“Now, let’s get going, I’m going to be late for work.”  
…

Missandei opened the door in her pajamas. Dany picked Rhaego up, carried him up the few stairs of the apartment door entrance, and handed him his crutch when he got to the top. 

“Remind me to tell Grey I want you to work on stairs at your next physical therapy session,” she commented as she dragged two bags up the stairs behind him.

He hugged Missandei, and then stood by Dany as she hugged her best friend. Rhaego saw Grey in the kitchen, and quickly walked over to see him making waffles.

“Oh my God, you two are incredible, I think he loves waffles more than me,” Dany said as she gave Grey a quick peck on the cheek.

“Well, we knew waffles were his favorite, and we wanted to have an extra fun day,” Grey said, picking Rhaego up and spinning him around.

Dany went back to the foyer with Missandei, and pointed to the bags,

“Okay, I brought you his Legos, a puzzle, and his books. He can read the level 1 and level 2 all by himself, but you’ll need to help him sound out some words from level 3 and up. Don’t let him read too much, he hit his head when he fell yesterday and I don’t want him to overexert himself. Legos are great, he’ll be entertained for hours, but clean them up because they’re a bitch to step on. I gave him Tylenol this morning for the cut on his face, and he can have more at lunch time if he needs it. He’s super excited about the library, so thank you for that.”

Missandei shook her head as Dany placed all of Rhaego’s stuff in the foyer of the apartment.

“Relax Dany, I’ve got it,” Missandei said, placing her hands on her best friend’s shoulders.

“I know, I’m just worried about him is all,” she whispered, watching as Rhaego mixed chocolate chips into the waffle batter.

“Hey, Rhaego and I are gonna have fun this morning. Grey has to go to work, but he’ll be home by three, and they can spend all afternoon playing outside.”

Dany smiled, “I’m just thankful our shifts didn’t overlap. Thank you so much for taking him on your day off, it means a lot.”

“Oh it’s no problem at all, you know I adore him. Speaking of work, did you see the new baby from Dorne yesterday? Cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I know, he’s got his big surgery this morning, so I’ll be with him all day afterwards. I have that meeting with Rhaego’s new teacher today, but I’m hoping to be back here around 6:30 at the latest.”

“That sounds fun. Do you want to have dinner here? I can get pizza, that way you don’t have to go home and make anything; you’ve got a long day. My shift doesn’t start until 9 tomorrow morning.”

“I love you Missandei, that sounds perfect. Alright, I’ve got to run, thank you again,” Dany said. 

She went to the kitchen and hugged Rhaego as he was mixing the batter.

“Have a good day pumpkin, I love you,” she said, kissing his cheek.

“Bye mama, I love you too.”

Dany rushed out of the door and made it to work with one minute to spare. 

…  
Dany quietly closed the door to the NICU and looked at the clock over the nurse’s desk. She cursed to herself: it was already 5:15. The evening nurse came over, and Dany frowned as she started preparing the paperwork.

“Hi Dany, I’m so sorry I was late, the traffic was,”

“It’s alright, just, here, take these files,” Dany sighed, “I am late to a meeting, so I’ve got to leave now. The operation was a success, just be extra vigilant. Check his IV and drains every 30 minutes, not every 45 or every hour, every 30 minutes. Oh, and watch for his father, he’s tried going in there twice without a paper gown, you have to make sure he puts one on. If you need anything you can call. Brienne will be in at about 5 am to check over everything again, but he did very well today, so everything should be fine.”

“Dany, relax, I’ve got it,” the nurse said, smiling at her and taking the files.

“You know, you’re the second person to tell me to relax today. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She walked briskly down the hall and glanced at her watch. It was 5:20. She had wanted to change out of her scrubs, but she didn’t want to risk another bad impression with that damned school by being late, so she breezed past the dressing room and headed straight to the parking lot in her light blue scrubs and six year old pair of sneakers. Her hair was mostly out of its braids by now, so she tied what she could back.

“It’s not like it’s a date,” she muttered to herself as she turned the car on. 

The school was pretty empty when she pulled in, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the principal’s parking spot was empty. She walked into the office, and the receptionist gave her directions to her son’s new classroom. The door was slightly open, and she poked her head through. She had to suppress a gasp when she saw the man sitting in the corner. She had expected Mr. Snow to be an older man, with a receding hair line, a knit sweater, and maybe some thick bifocal glasses, but he was quite the opposite. He couldn’t have been older than 30; he had gorgeous black curls, and some of it was tied back in a knot at the back of his head. He wore a lovely black sweater, and glasses that could have come out of one of those expensive catalogues that Dany glanced at but never ordered from. She suddenly felt very conscious of her own outfit. He smiled at her when she stepped through the doorway.

“You must be Mr. Jon Snow,” she said, walking in to greet him.

“That’s me. And you are?” he asked, looking slightly confused.

“I’m, I’m Daenerys Targaryen, Rhaego’s mother, we did have a meeting today, right.” she said slowly.

He sprang up from his chair and rushed to greet her.

“Oh my goodness, I am so sorry. You don’t look anything alike!”

She shook his hand and smiled at him, “I’ve been getting that since the day he was born, it’s the hair, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it’s definitely the hair. Must take after Dad, is he here or is it just you?” Jon said, pulling out a chair for Dany to sit next to him.

“Oh no, it’s just me, his father is not in the picture. He hasn’t seen Rhaego since he was seven months old.”

“Well, Cersei made a note in his file to ask about family relations,” Jon trailed off.

“Yes, and I’m sure she also put a note in there to talk about my age, right?”

Jon scanned the file, and nodded in surprise.

“Mr. Snow, I think you’ll come to understand this rather quickly, but Cersei and I are not friends. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t judge me by what she put in that file. I had Rhaego when I was 18, and I don’t speak to his father anymore. She loves to use those two pieces of information to shame me, but I’m not embarrassed. It is what it is, Mr. Snow.”

“Please, call me Jon. Between the two of us, I don’t understand why Cersei would feel that I needed to know all of this, but it also doesn’t surprise me, she’s a very bitter, contrived person. Between me and you Ms. Targaryen, I want you to know that I’m not here to judge your family life, I just want to help your son grow and learn.”

Daenerys brought her hand to her heart, relieved that for once, someone just wanted to help her. He gave her the warmest smile she’d ever seen and placed a soothing hand on her shoulder. Dany closed her eyes, but then smiled back.

“Tell me a little bit about your son,” Jon said in his gravely Northern accent, grabbing the note pad off of his desk.

They talked for a while about Rhaego’s disability, his love of reading, the bullying he had faced, and his tenacity and perseverance despite the multitude of challenges he’d been given in his short life. After some small talk to finish up, Jon stood up, and led Dany to the door. They both paused in the doorframe.

“Well, it was a pleasure meeting with you. I’m going to take all of this information, and make an individualized education plan, or IEP, for Rhaego. I will e-mail it to you when I am finished, and we can go over it together. I look forward to speaking with you again, Ms. Targaryen.”

“Please, call me Dany,” she smiled, looking into his eyes.

She was about to turn to head out, but she couldn’t break eye-contact with him. Suddenly, a force pulled her towards him, and their lips met. Dany sighed as his lips moved in sync with hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and let her fingers run through his gorgeous curls. Jon’s hands cupped her face for a moment, and then he grabbed her waist, pulling her tightly against him. She had to suppress a moan, but eventually she broke the kiss, pressing her forehead to his. Reality quickly pulled her back to earth, and she opened her eyes in surprise as he stared back at her.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” she muttered, slowly backing away.

He fixed his shirt and gave her the same warm, crooked smile, causing her heart to swoon again. 

“Goodbye Dany,” he murmured.

She stood in the hallway, wrapping her arms around herself.

"What have I done?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!


	4. How did I get here?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany wants to feel excited about a new romantic prospect in her life, but the life she has built and the events of the past leave her with a lot of reservations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I just realized this, but I really do suck at chapter titles lol. Anyway , this is sort of a mini-chapter, but I actually really ended up liking how it turned out, and it has some important clues that set up what will be the major conflicts in this story. Also, I don't think I've mentioned this before, but this story is also not for people that like Khal Drogo. I'm leaving the past a bit of a mystery right now but in this story he is very bad. If you thought Cersei was evil, just wait. There will be more Jonerys interactions in the next chapter, so don't worry. Okay, sorry for rambling, enjoy!

Dany knocked on Missandei’s door with a strong resolve to keep the events from earlier a secret. Missandei smiled when she opened the door, but cocked her head in surprise when Dany stepped into the light.

“Dany, why is lipstick smeared all over your face?”

Dany laughed nervously and rubbed her hand over her mouth.

“Oh, well, it was a stressful day, I tend to, uh, rub my mouth when I’m stressed,” she said, raising her eyebrows as she tried to sell the story.

“Uh huh, sure, as one does,” Missandei said slowly.

Dany smiled a little too brightly at Missandei, but the awkwardness was broken when Grey appeared with Rhaego on his shoulders.

“Mama!” Rhaego yelled in excitement as Grey threw him over his shoulders and placed him on the ground.

Relieved by the distraction, Dany put a hand out for Rhaego to steady himself, and leaned forward to kiss his forehead.

“Hello my little Prince, I hope you didn’t make your noble steed carry you around all day,” she teased.

“No, it was a reward for learning the stairs. I walked up the porch steps all by myself today!” he exclaimed.

Dany squeaked and picked Rhaego up, tearing up as she peppered him with kisses.

“I’m so proud of you pumpkin; you’ve been working at that for so long! Thank you Grey, what wonderful news!” Dany cheered.

Rhaego buried his head into her neck, and then he pulled away.

“Mama, you smell different today? Like Grey’s cologne.”

Dany hastily set him down and Missandei looked at her quizzically.

“Well, uh, there was this dad, yeah this dad, of this little baby at the hospital today, and I got to tell him the good news that his son’s surgery was a success, and he was so excited he gave me a huge hug! It was very exciting for all of us!” Dany stuttered on as she tried to create an excuse.

“Good job Mama. Can we go eat now, I’m starving,” Rhaego begged, looking around at the adults.

“Yes, of course,” Missandei said, “pizza’s already on the table,” she said, winking at Dany.

Dinner was filled with fun conversation about Rhaego’s action-packed day and Dany’s interesting stories from the hospital, but it inevitably ended up circling around to Rhaego’s new teacher.

“Was he nice Mama?” Rhaego asked before taking another bite of pizza.

Dany nodded,

“He was a very nice man; I think you’ll really like him Rhaego. He was a lot younger than I expected, but he’s got a plan to help you, and he can’t wait to read lots of new books with you,” she encouraged.

Rhaego nodded, a slight smile appearing on his face. After dinner, while Grey was scooping ice cream for Rhaego, Missandei cleared her throat.

“Dany and I are gonna go have a girl’s talk, for just a minute, we’ll be right back.”

Grey and Rhaego looked at each other, and Grey playfully rolled his eyes. Dany cursed to herself as Missandei pulled her into the bedroom and shut the door.

“Okay, just admit it,” Missandei asserted.

“Admit what?” she fought back.

“That you had sex with your son’s new teacher,” she said nonchalantly.

“Okay, whoa, we did not have sex. We just, kissed for a minute or two.”

“Daenerys Targaryen you little flirt,” Missandei giggled.

“Missandei, I am begging you, do not tell anyone. It was a mistake. I was exhausted, I didn’t think, and I slipped. I swore that I would never bring in another man to complicate Rhaego’s life, not after what happened with, him,” she choked out, “it’s not fair to Rhaego, and I won’t do it.”

“Dany, he’s an elementary school teacher who specializes in special needs! He’s the farthest thing from that piece of shit that there will ever be.”

“We don’t know that, I’ve only just met him tonight!”

“Okay, you’re right, but it couldn’t hurt to give it a shot, what’s the worst that could happen?”

“Oh, I don’t know, he turns into an abusive psychopath who gets me pregnant?” Dany mocked.

“Dany, listen to yourself. I know you’re still recovering from what happened, but you’ve got to try again. You can’t live your whole life alone.”

“I will never recover from what that man did to me, or the fact that he tried to,” she paused.

“Tried to do what?” Missandei asked, changing her tone.

“Never mind that, I just don’t think I’m ready yet Missandei, I’m not ready.”

“Dany, it’s been seven years; I think it’s time to try.”

“Have you been talking to Sansa?”

“Maybe. Okay, I’ll leave you alone for the night, but just think about it, okay? We only want what’s best for you,” Missandei smiled.

“I know, it’s just so hard sometimes, to try and forget,” Dany said, tears welling in her eyes.

“Oh sweetheart, I know. No one will deny it, you were given a very shitty hand, but you survived all of the terrible things life threw at you. And you managed to make the most perfect child I have ever seen in the midst of all of that,” Missandei whispered, wiping tears from her best friend’s eyes.

Dany laughed, and blew her nose with a tissue that Missandei handed her.

“He is perfect, isn’t he? Thank you Missandei, I don’t know what I would do without you,” she sniffled.

“I could say the same for you. Now, let’s clean you up, and get some ice cream. That always does the trick,” Missandei said, leading Dany to the bathroom.

…

“Dolphins have great eyesight and hearing, and they communicate through,” he paused,

“Echolocation,” Dany finished the sentence.

“Echolocation? What’s that?”

“It’s like little clicking sounds they make, they bounce off of something in the sea, and other dolphins can understand the sounds,” Dany yawned.

Rhaego pondered the idea, closed the book, and rested his head against Dany’s chest.

“I think you need to sleep Mama, you’re tired,” he yawned back, running his fingers through the silk ends of her robe.

Dany laughed, he would always accuse her of being tired when he was ready to go to sleep. After leaving Missandei’s, getting ready for bed, and changing into their pajamas, Dany and Rhaego were sitting on the couch reading the books that Rhaego had jumped through hoops to get to. After he shut the book, Dany sat there with her son for a minute longer, rubbing his back and smiling as she watched his eyes struggle to stay open. Before she could say anything else, he had fallen asleep against her chest, lulled by her familiar heartbeat. Dany kissed the top of his head, and watched him sleep for a while; his little hands holding onto her tightly and his eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. The life they had, the life she had created for them, was too fragile and too perfect to try and disrupt by adding someone else.

Carefully, she unwrapped his arms from around her sides and picked him up. His hands fell limply at his sides and she laughed to herself about how easy it had always been for Rhaego to fall asleep. She thought for sure he would wake when she banged her foot on the side of the stairs and cursed to herself, but he didn’t so much as stir. She carefully lowered him into his bed and tucked him under the covers. She kissed his forehead, and tucked his stuffed animal under his arm. Finally, she left and collapsed into her own bed.

“Seven hells,” she muttered, “that was the longest day I’ve ever had.”

She rolled over and shut her eyes just to be interrupted by the buzz of her phone. She sat up and grabbed it off of her nightstand, and to her surprise it was an e-mail from Jon Snow.

_Hello Ms. Targaryen,_

_Here is your son’s IEP that I crafted after our meeting today. Please look over it and feel free to ask any questions that may come to mind. If you would like to schedule a phone call or another conference, do not hesitate to do so. I am here to help. I’ll see you at the fieldtrip next week; I see you’re signed up as a chaperone. :)_

_Best,_

_Jon Snow_

Dany’s heart pounded as she finished reading, and she left her phone face-down on the nightstand.

“Did he just flirt with me, over school e-mail?” she asked incredulously, staring up at the ceiling.

She rolled over, sprawling out diagonally across the king sized bed. She wrapped her arms around her body pillow, and closed her eyes, but her mind was racing with thoughts of Jon Snow. She couldn’t help but let a smile creep to her mouth when she remembered the feeling of his lips against hers. She knew she was being ridiculous, she had been with him for just forty-five minutes, not nearly enough time to justify the feelings she was sorting through. Finally her exhaustion took over, and she drifted off to sleep. She would never admit it, but she dreamed of Jon Snow that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've said this, but thank you so much for your comments and support! They make me laugh, smile, but most importantly, they make me think about the story from different perspectives so that I can make the best possible version of this story. Thank you thank you!


	5. Jon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn a little bit about the life of Jon Snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This chapter is from Jon's POV, I decided to dedicate a chapter to introducing him, because he was just sort of this mysterious man that we only got a glimpse of, so I think this will clear some things up, as well as add some events where he and Dany might cross paths. It's a fun chapter, enjoy!

Jon sat at his desk, paging through paperwork as he tried to make an IEP for Rhaego. As he wrote and erased and then wrote again, he heard a knock at his classroom door.

“Jon, it’s almost 7 o’clock, what are you still doing here?” Sam asked.

“Oh, well, I had a meeting, and I must have lost track of time. I’ve got a new student coming Monday and I’m just trying to get things ready for him. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I was just stopping by to drop off the children’s books I had my creative writing students make. I didn’t think you’d be here, I was just going to leave them on your desk.”

“They look fun. Here, I’ll walk out with you,” Jon said, leaving the books on the ever growing pile on his desk.

“Make sure your kids vote, my students want a clear winner, they’re very competitive,” Sam warned.

“Ah, high school, those were the days,” Jon sighed.

“Are you alright Jon? You’re brooding, more than you usually do,” Sam asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, but the strangest thing happened to me today,” he paused.

“Well, what was it? Did your student try to eat a crayon or something?”

Jon looked at Sam and rolled his eyes, “it wasn’t a student, it was a parent.”

“What?”

“Well, that new student I was talking about, his mom came in to meet with me today. Do you ever get the feeling that you’ve seen someone before, even when you know they’re complete strangers?”

“What, like déjà vu? I’ve had that before for places, but not for a specific person.”

“I mean sort of, but it felt like I knew her, you’ve never felt that before?”

Sam nodded in support, but he couldn’t hide that he had no idea what his best friend meant.

“Well, I got that very strange feeling when she came in. She was nice enough, we talked about her son, but the entire time I felt a sort of strange energy? Oh gods, I just sound stupid now,” Jon admitted.

“No, it’s okay Jon, what do you mean?” Sam pressed.

“Well, after we discussed the typical stuff, I gave her some reading suggestions for her son, and then she complained about the autumn weather. I joked that winter was coming, and then I stood up to walk her to the door. I paused in the doorframe, and she, she kissed me.”

“What! Jon, you kissed a married woman?”

“Shh, seven hells Sam. No, first of all, she’s not married, and second of all, she kissed me.”

“Well, did you stop it?”

“No, that’s what I’m saying; it was a very strange energy. It was almost sad, I can’t even explain it. But then she seemed to snap out of something, and she apologized and left. I smiled at her, but other than that I kind of just stood there like an idiot.”

“Oh my Gods Jon, I was not expecting that.”

“Me either! I’d only been with her for like forty-five minutes, but she did not seem like that sort of person. I don’t know Sam, it was weird.”

“Maybe she was just stressed or something? I don’t really know what to tell you my friend, but it’s been two years since you broke up with Ygritte, maybe it was a sign to try again?”

“Why does everything come back to my dating life; I’m just going to forget about it. Stranger things have happened, right?”

“You know it. I’ll see you later,” Sam said, ducking into his car.

“Yeah, thanks for the books Sam, I’ll text you when there’s a winner.”

…

Jon pulled into the apartment complex and grabbed his briefcase from the passenger side. As he tried to lock the car door, he lost his grip on the briefcase and papers went flying all around the car, blown by the wind. He cursed to himself and ran around frantically to pick them up; looking over his shoulder to make sure that no one was watching the embarrassing ordeal. Eventually he organized himself and made it into the apartment, being extra careful when he reached for the keys again. Ghost, his foster dog, jumped up and nearly knocked Jon off of his feet. The papers went flying again.

“Seven hells Ghost, no one is going to adopt you if we don’t get that jumping under control!” Jon said, exasperated.

Just as he laid everything on the kitchen table and turned on the lights, his phone began to ring.

“Hey Mom,” he tried not to sound irritated as he answered.

“Hi sweetheart, how was your day today?” Lyanna asked sweetly.

Jon paused for a moment, “it was fun. I did an art project with the kids, and we did addition and subtraction with flashcards.”

“Well, that’s good practice for you; you were never too good at math.”

“Mom!”

“Oh you know it’s true. I’ll never forget that geometry class you had in middle school that one night we both started crying at the kitchen table because we couldn’t figure out the damn proof you had for homework.”

“Gods, please don’t remind me. What has you feeling so sentimental today?”

“Well, I got an invitation from my brother for his daughter’s 25th birthday party, and I’m going to fly up so that I can go. You remember Sansa, don’t you?”

“Of course I do, although the last time I saw her she was getting ready to go abroad for the exchange student program. What was that, ten, eleven years ago?”

“I’m afraid so, right before we moved to King’s Landing. I talked to him last month, he hadn’t even known you’d moved back to Winterfell. He called today and said he wanted to see us and talk to us more, so I told him I’d ask if you’d want to come with me.”

“That’s nice of him, I’m glad he got off his high horse, do you think he’ll talk to me considering I refused his advice of becoming a lawyer?”

“Now Jon, be nice, he’s trying to mend relationships, not create new cracks in them. He didn’t talk to me for nearly a month when I decided I was going to adopt you because he thought I was limiting my potential. He’s just super stubborn and wants what’s best for everyone. Sometimes that’s a very dangerous combination. Plus, Sansa’s almost finished law school, so he’ll have someone to take over the practice when he retires.”

Jon sat down on the sofa, and flipped the TV on.

“Okay, I’m sorry. When’s the party?”

“It’s next Saturday night at six, but my flight comes in at 8 Friday night, I just booked it.”

“Alright, I’ll come pick you up, but that’s the day of my fieldtrip so I might be a little late. And, I suppose I’ll come to the party,” Jon agreed.

“Thanks Jon, you’re a darling.”

Jon was interrupted when Ghost barked at him violently, pawing at his food dish. Jon patted his head and scooped his food into the bowl.

“What was that barking Jon?” Lyanna asked.

“Well, the shelter was full, and they had this huge dog, a Great Pyrenees husky mutt. He’s so gigantic that they didn’t have a cage to fit him in so I took him home with me as a foster, but he’ll be at the big adoption event on Saturday.”

“Oh that’s wonderful Jon! Please send me a picture. I hope someone falls in love with him on Saturday.”

“He’s super friendly and high energy, but he’s quite a handful, we’ll see.”

“Let me know how it goes. Okay, I’ll let you go; my television show starts at 8:30.”

“Wait Mom, I have a question. When you were raising me, did you ever get lonely?”

“Now what kind of question is that?” She asked in surprise.

“I just mean, did you ever wish for like, a relationship?”

“Well, I decided pretty much as soon as I met you in that foster home that I was going to be your mom, and I hadn’t ever established a serious relationship with a man before, so I guess I didn’t really feel anything was missing. I had you, and that was enough. I guess I was lonely sometimes, especially when you got older and started to go out, but I made more friends, and I went on some dates. Why are you asking?”

“Oh, no reason, I was just curious.”

“Do you think you’ll be alone forever like your poor old mother Jon?” she teased.

“No, not at all, it was a simple social question!” He exclaimed.

“Ok, it was very thoughtful Jon, very good of you to ask that. I’ve really got to go now, that show’s starting!”

“Bye Mom, I love you.”

“I love you too; I’ll see you next week.”

Jon tried to pay attention to the news, but his eyes kept shifting to the guitar on the side of the couch. He had recently taken up lessons, and he had until Sunday morning to memorize a new set of chords he had been given. He scrunched his face and picked up the guitar, trying to find the motivation to practice as all of these new thoughts swirled in his head. Ghost quickly came over to the couch, and howled loudly as Jon tried to find the right notes. He glared at Ghost, but couldn’t help but smile when he rested his snout on Jon’s lap.

“I know I’m no good, but can you at least let me try?” he said as he scratched the dog’s ears.

Ghost replied with a sharp bark, and Jon figured it was a no. Jon put the guitar away and grabbed Ghost’s leash, taking him outside to relieve himself once more before bed. He answered texts on his phone while they were out, and was overwhelmed by the amount of e-mails in his inbox.

Jon tried to do as much as he could out in the community. He taught self-defense classes at the karate school on Mondays and volunteered at the local animal shelter every Saturday morning. He wasn’t the most out-going person, but he found pleasure and purpose in his activities, and he liked the structure it created in his life, but it left him with little time to think about himself. After cooking a sad frozen dinner, throwing the dishes in the sink, and taking a shower, Jon lay in bed and grabbed his laptop. Ghost jumped onto the bed and lied beside him, but at this point, Jon didn’t have the energy to get him off.

“Am I being weird Ghost?” he asked as he read over the e-mail he was going to send to Daenerys.

Ghost responded with a snore, so Jon was on his own. He decided it was fine and hit send; figuring he’d deal with the repercussions in the morning. Jon pulled the covers over himself and tried to fall asleep, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the strange woman who had stormed into his classroom that evening. He knew he had seen her before, he just knew it. Was it possible that they went to grade school together? Did they meet in pre-school? Or was it just his imagination?

_Maybe I knew her in some alternate universe,_ he thought as he fell asleep.

...

At 8 am, Jon sat at his desk, rubbing his eyes as he waited for the call. Daenerys had e-mailed him back early that morning, asking if she could call before school started, and he felt strangely unsettled but he accepted. He jumped in his chair when the phone rang. Jon cleared his throat and picked up the phone.

“Good morning Ms. Targaryen, how are you today?” he said as professionally as possible.

“I’m well, thank you. Mr. Snow, this is a strange question, but do you happen to know if these phones lines are traced by the school?”

“Um, I don’t think so,” he guessed.

“Okay, good. I’m at work, so I don’t have a lot of time, but I just wanted to call and properly apologize for whatever that was last night. I am incredibly embarrassed about what I did. It was way out of line, I completely acted on an impulse, and I am truly sorry. I didn’t even ask if you were in a relationship, and I had only just met you. I promise, I’m a good mother, I usually do not act like a hormonal teenager,” she tried to joke.

Jon smiled, “I accept your apology, and there are no hard feelings. It was my fault as much as it was yours, I could have stopped it.”

“Thank you. You seem to be a wonderful teacher, and I think my son will really benefit from your class. You must think I’m crazy already, so I believe it’s best if I just leave you to teaching my son, and I’ll see you at conferences before Christmas break.”

“Well, there’s the fieldtrip.”

“Shit, yes, the fieldtrip, but the aquarium’s a big place, so we’ll be fine.”

This time Jon chuckled, and he heard her let out a little laugh on the other side of the line.

“You’re right Ms. Targaryen. You know, last night, did you have a sense, or feel…” he paused.

“Hmm?” she asked, “did I have a sense of what?”

“You know, never mind, it was a stupid question. Thank you for calling Ms. Targaryen, I’ll see you next week.”

“Very good Mr. Snow. Please take care of my son when he comes Monday, he’s terribly nervous and I just want him to enjoy school,” she pleaded, and Jon felt more comfortable when her maternal side kicked in.

“I can assure you Ms. Targaryen, I will keep your son safe, and I will make sure he has a good time and learns a lot. I have another student in my class, and I already think they would make great friends. She likes reading too.”

“That makes me feel better, thank you again,” She said graciously.

“Anytime,” he said, hanging up the phone just as he saw the first school bus pull into the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important note: yes Lyanna adopted Jon, but I want to make it clear that he is in no way related to the Targaryens in this fic, nor was Lyanna involved with them. He doesn't know who his biological parents are, and I'm not making that a huge concern in this story, he's happy with Lyanna as his mom. 
> 
> I just want to say I had the best time looking up dog breeds to find one that would fit Ghost in modern times. Look up the Great Pyrenees/husky mix if you are a dog person, you will not be sorry! I also had a question, would anyone be interested in a chapter from Rhaego's pov? I was planning on sticking to Dany and Jon's, but if you're interested it might be fun to try to write from a seven year old's pov. Okay, I'm done. Thanks for reading!
> 
> Next chapter: What exactly was that surprise for Rhaego?


	6. A New Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany and Rhaego meet a new friend during their eventful weekend. And thanks to those who commented, I got some encouragement to write from Rhaego's pov, and I'm planning that for the next chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry this took so long to post, this chapter was harder to write than I had anticipated, but we got there!

Dany woke up to Rhaego sitting on top of her, holding her cheeks in his hands. He had a little smile on his face, and she couldn’t help but think how cute he looked with his dark brown eyes magnified by his glasses and his curly dark hair all frizzy from the pillow.

“How long have you been awake?” she frowned.

“Since 6:30, you told me I had to wait until 7:30 on weekends to wake you up unless it was an emergency, so I read more while I waited. Do you want me to go back to bed?” he asked her.

She looked over at the clock, it was 7:31. _At least he waited,_ she thought to herself.

“No pumpkin, it’s alright. We should get up and start getting ready,” she said, sitting up and pulling him into a hug.

Dany’s face lit up suddenly, “you know, I was going to wait until next weekend, but some things changed, so we’re going for your surprise today,” Dany teased.

Rhaego gasped, and he twisted around in excitement on the bed.

“First though, we have to go to the grocery store and the mall too. I have to shop for lunches next week and I have to find Aunt Sansa a present for her birthday. I don’t know what to get her,” Dany trailed off.

“Do we have to go to the grocery store?” Rhaego pouted.

“If you want to eat next week then yes, we do. Plus, I’m almost out of waffles.”

Rhaego gasped and Dany giggled.

“And Mama, you don’t have to get Aunt Sansa anything, I drew her a picture!” Rhaego answered.

“Good Rhaego! Can I see it?”

“Not yet, it’s not finished. I’ll surprise you, okay?” he asked, his little face turning very serious.

“Okay pumpkin, I’ll be patient. Aunt Sansa will love that though, she can hang it up in her new office. But mommy still has to find her something too; I can’t draw as well as you.”

“I’ll teach you Mama,” Rhaego smiled.

“Thanks buddy, but it’s gonna take longer than a week to get me as good as you are. Let’s get ready to go, we’ve got a busy day today.

They got dressed, brushed their teeth, and Rhaego watched carefully as Dany braided her hair.

“Should I grow my hair and braid it like yours mama?” Rhaego asked in curiosity.

Dany laughed and looked to her son in surprise,

“Rhaego, your hair is so thick, you’ll end up looking like,” she paused, a chill running down her spine.

“Like what?” he asked, leaning towards her.

“You’ll just look very silly!” she cried.

Rhaego looked at himself in the mirror, and Dany could only imagine the hairstyles he was picturing in his head.

“Let’s go get breakfast,” she diverted his attention.

“Okay,” he said, smiling at her.

They made it downstairs, and Dany debated what to make.

“Can we have waffles?” Rhaego asked, peering into the pantry from behind Dany.

“For heaven’s sake buddy, you had waffles like five times this week!” Dany cried.

“But today’s Saturday, isn’t it a new week?”

“Nice try, the new week starts officially on Sunday. We’re having toast, eggs and fruit this morning, we have to be healthy sometimes,” she winked at him.

Rhaego frowned and sat down in his chair at the dining table. Dany always thought he looked really cute when he made that cranky face, but she had to hide her amusement and deal with it accordingly.

“Rhaego, don’t pout. No one likes a pouter,” she said as she sliced strawberries on the cutting board.

He looked away from her and played with his placemat. She brought over their food and while he looked at it begrudgingly, he ate it.

“It’s not that bad now is it?” she asked him.

“Well, it’s not waffles, but it’s alright.”

The corner of his lip turned into a smile, and Dany rolled her eyes.

…

“Can I please sit in the cart?” Rhaego begged as Dany lifted him out of the car.

“Rhaego, love, you need to practice walking more. Remember what Grey said, your leg won’t get stronger if you don’t keep walking on it.”

“It’s never gonna get stronger. It’s a stupid leg!” he cried, turning to face away from her.

Dany sighed and pulled her shopping bags out of the car. She grabbed a cart and started walking towards the grocery store, but Rhaego made no move to follow her.

“Rhaego, please, let’s not have a moment here. Just walk while I shop, and I’ll let you sit in the cart at the mall.”

“No, I don’t want to walk Mama,” he dug in, staring at the ground.

Dany took deep breaths and remembered it was a seven year-old she was bargaining with.

“Rhaego, if you don’t walk to me right now there will be no waffles for a month. I mean it.”

She couldn’t believe that was a sentence she would ever have had to say, but she had completely accepted that this was her life now. He looked at her timidly and started to walk away from the car.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

…

Dany was staring at the selection of cereal when she heard the crash behind her. She turned to see Rhaego picking himself up out of a broken display pile of snacks. She quickly put down the groceries in her hand and ran to help him stand up. He needed positive experiences when he was walking for long periods of time, not traumatic ones. One of the employees, an older lady with short grey hair, walked over to them briskly. Dany sighed, preparing to be scolded or shunned, but instead, the lady placed a gentle hand on Rhaego’s shoulder, and handed him his crutch from the pile.

“Are you alright darling?” she asked him sweetly.

He held onto Dany’s leg and looked up at the employee,

“I’m sorry,” he said meekly.

“You don’t need to apologize honey, everyone has accidents sometimes, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Dany tried to help the lady pick up the boxes with Rhaego still hanging onto her, but the lady shooed her away.

“It’s alright sweetheart, you can go on shopping, you look busy, I’ll get this cleaned up, no worries.”

Dany looked to the employee sincerely, “thank you so much for your kindness, my son and I really appreciate it.”

“We could all use a little more, wouldn’t you say?”

“Absolutely,” Dany said, picking up the groceries she had placed on the ground.

“Can I sit in the cart now? I told you I couldn’t walk,” Rhaego said shyly.

“Rhaego, you’ve only been walking for three years, it’s okay if you aren’t perfect all of the time. You can hold my hand though,” she said, reaching her arm to him. 

“Alright,” he accepted.

They shopped for the rest of what they needed, and they finished up in the baking aisle. Dany was certain to get an extra box of waffle mix. She knew she was going to have to do a lot of bargaining to get Rhaego to school come Monday.

…

The mall was a frustrating trip, and for the hours they spent browsing in different stores, Dany couldn’t find anything for her best friend’s birthday gift. She could tell Rhaego was getting bored, and she was surprised that he had made it that long while she searched. Once in the car, they sang their favorite songs and Rhaego seemed to be getting over the great grocery store fiasco.

“Mama, this is the wrong way home,” he said quietly as she turned left instead of right.

“We’re not going home pumpkin; we’re going to get your surprise.”

“Really?” he asked, wiggling in excitement.

Dany laughed, “yes really, did you forget when I told you this morning?”

“A little, it was a rough morning,” he said very seriously, looking out of the window.

Dany grinned and looked at him through the mirror, “indeed it was my dear.”

They pulled into the parking lot to the animal shelter, and Rhaego looked around at all of the commotion outside.

“Where are we?” Rhaego asked.

“Rhaego, my love, you are getting a four legged friend, a dog! I was going to come with you next weekend after Aunt Sansa’s party, but they’re having a huge adoption event this weekend, so I figured we could start looking today,” she smiled.

Rhaego squealed in excitement and clapped his hands together.

“Thank you Mama thank you! Oh, we’re gonna be best friends, this is the best present ever!” he cried, and Dany’s heart swooned.

“You’re welcome sweetheart, I’ve always wanted a dog, and I think now you’re finally old enough to be responsible, you will help me take care of him or her, right?” she asked seriously.

“Of course Mama, I’ll feed him and give him baths and brush him, and I’ll even go on walks with him if he wants to.”

Dany smiled at him and they pulled into a parking spot. One of the goals of the new dog was to encourage Rhaego to walk more; the idea popped into Dany’s head when she saw how much more engaged Rhaego was in physical therapy when some therapy dogs came to play with the students. She ran the idea by Grey, and he said it would be a wonderful idea for Rhaego emotionally and physically. Missandei thought Dany was crazy for adding another living thing to care for and worry about, but the truth was Dany had always wanted a dog. Her parents never let her have one because Viserys claimed he was terribly allergic, and she was always too afraid to ask Drogo. Now that she had her own house, she took joy in the fact that she was going to adopt her own dog. Well, Rhaego’s dog.

This time around, there was no coaxing necessary to get him out of the car. He all but leaped into Dany’s arms, and she stumbled backwards as she balanced herself and settled him on the ground.

“Easy buddy, you don’t want to scare all of the dogs,” she kissed the top of his head.

They walked through the crowds of people and dogs, marveling about how cute they were and joking about how they were going to adopt all of them.

Rhaego stopped to look at some puppies and Dany’s attention was caught by a large white dog on a long leash. She crouched down and waited to see if the dog was interested in meeting her. Her eyes widened as the dog came barreling towards her. He jumped and she fell flat on her butt as the dog’s giant paws collided with her chest. Dany cringed as pain went shooting up her back, but she couldn’t help but smile as the huge dog licked her face and nudged her with his snout. She sat up, and looked to see Jon Snow looking down at her with great concern.

“Are you, oh my gods Ms. Targaryen? Are you alright?” he asked with worry.

“Mr. Snow,” she exhaled, “what a surprise to see you here,” she said, taking his hand as he helped her up.

“Well, I volunteer at the shelter that’s hosting the event, and I’m fostering this guy here, I am so sorry he knocked you over, we’re still working on the jumping problem. Clearly. Are you sure you’re okay?”

Dany smiled, “I’ve been through worse, don’t worry about me. He’s adorable, what’s his name?”

“Ghost,” Jon chuckled, “I took one look at him and I couldn’t resist. He was a stray from King’s Landing, but I think he fits in much better in Winterfell.”

Rhaego came up from behind the dog, and Ghost spun around to see a new friendly face. Dany felt like she was watching events unravel in slow motion.

“Rhaego, be careful!” she yelled, leaping towards him.

But she wasn’t fast enough. Ghost lunged towards her son, and she cringed as she waited for the inevitable knock out. To her surprise, Ghost skidded to a stop when he reached Rhaego, and he pressed himself against her son’s leg ever so gently. Rhaego patted Ghost’s head, and then sat in the grass and enveloped him in a huge hug, feeling his soft, fluffy white fur.

“I think that’s love at first sight,” Jon laughed, watching as Ghost laid down and put his head in Rhaego’s lap.

Rhaego looked up, and Dany decided this was her moment.

“Rhaego, dear, this is Mr. Snow, he’s your new teacher,” she said confidently.

Rhaego stiffened a little bit, but Jon sat on the ground with Ghost between them and offered his hand. Rhaego shook it reluctantly.

“Hi Rhaego, I’ve heard a lot about you, and I can’t wait to have you in class. Your mom says you like reading a lot, is that true?”

Rhaego nodded and continued petting Ghost.

“Well, I have a bunch of new books that high school students wrote for a competition, and we have to judge them and pick the best one. Would you be up to helping me pick the winner next week? I’ll warn you, it will be a lot of reading.”

Rhaego nodded again, but this time Dany caught a small smile appear on his lips. Jon looked to her, and she winked.

“Mr. Snow, is Ghost your dog?”

“Well, sort of. I’m his foster dad, so that means he stays with me until we find him a good home.”

Rhaego processed the information, and looked to Dany with pleading eyes.

“Mommy, can we give Ghost a good home?”

Dany smiled and sat down with the three of them.

“Rhaego, we haven’t seen the rest of the dogs, don’t you want to wait to make your decisions. You always make lists, and you like to weigh…”

“The pros and quads,” he answered.

“Cons,” she corrected.

“I don’t need to Mama, I know this is it. There are no, cons, just pros,” he giggled.

Dany looked at Jon, “this is very unlike him, he has to evaluate every decision meticulously. A couple of weeks ago we went to get him a new comforter for the bed and he made a list of colors and designs and slowly went through crossing them off until he had the perfect combination.”

“We’re going to have a great time picking the winner of the contest then aren’t we?”

“Oh yes, but you’ll know that it’s the right decision.”

Dany looked at the gigantic white dog who was licking her son’s cheeks. This isn’t exactly the dog she was imagining, but she knew Jon was right; it was love at first sight for Rhaego. The way Ghost knew to stop before jumping at Rhaego hit her in a way she didn’t quite understand, but she felt deeply moved.

“Is there paperwork I have to fill out?” she looked to Jon.

“Ay, I can go grab it for you. We have to do a home visit too, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I could get someone else to come.”

“No, it’s alright. You love this dog, and I think it will make you feel better to know we’re not psychopaths. I’ll fill out the paperwork tonight, are you free tomorrow morning?”

“I believe I am,” he said, “9 am?”

“Perfect.” Dany answered.

“Do you have a fence? He’s great on a leash, but he’s quite the escape artist.”

“Yes, my nephew can never get out, so by that definition it’s most certainly dog and child proof.”

Jon chuckled. They sat in silence for a little while as Rhaego pet Ghost and talked to him, but eventually Dany placed a hand on Rhaego’s shoulder.

“Rhaego, bud, Ghost is going to visit at home tomorrow, but we’ve got to leave him with Mr. Snow tonight, okay pumpkin?”

“Is he gonna live with us?”

Dany was going to speak, but Jon took over for her.

“As long as your home is safe for Ghost, and you promise me that you will help your mom take care of him, then he will be all yours.”

“I will help Mr. Snow, I promise!” Rhaego swore.

“That’s good bud, are you ready to go now? We have to go to the pet store if we’re going to be ready for Ghost tomorrow.”

“Okay Mama,” he agreed peacefully, and Dany sighed in relief.

She reached out to help him stand up, but Ghost beat her to it. Rhaego held onto his neck for support, and Ghost ducked to help him stand up. Dany almost teared up from the sight, but she smiled instead and gave a silent thank you to the dog.

“Thank you Mr. Snow, you have my address on the form, so we’ll see you tomorrow morning,” Dany said.

“We’re looking forward to it,” Jon said as he glanced at Ghost.

Rhaego talked about Ghost in a sing-song voice for the entire car-ride home, the entire time at the pet store, and the entire afternoon and evening. Dany silently ate dinner across from her son, wondering what she had gotten herself into.

…

On Sunday morning, Dany awoke to a knock at the door. She sat up and looked to the clock; it was 8:59 am.

“Shit shit shit!” she cried, flipping off the covers and rummaging through her drawer for a bra and some pants.

She pulled together what she could find, an ancient pair of sweatpants that were lying on the floor, a sports bra from the laundry pile, and the same t-shirt she had worn to bed. She yelled to Rhaego as she clumsily got dressed in the hallway, and opened the door just before Jon could knock again.

“Good morning Mr. Snow,” she panted, trying to act like nothing unusual had happened.

“Ms. Targaryen, how are you?”

Ghost was looking at her with his head cocked to the side, and Jon smiled at her uncomfortably.

“I’m doing very well, come on in!” She said, opening the door wider.

Jon stepped in, and to Dany’s relief Rhaego was sitting on the steps. Jon let go of the leash and Ghost went barreling over to Rhaego, skidding to a stop when he reached the steps, and treating him with the same gentleness he had yesterday.

“You guys look very comfortable this morning,” Jon teased.

“We’re just having a lazy Sunday morning, as we do,” Dany assured him.

“We do?” Rhaego said as he rubbed Ghost’s ears.

Dany shot him a glare and nodded aggressively, so Rhaego smiled up at Jon. Jon clapped his hands together, and Ghost looked at him attentively.

“Well, why don’t I show you around,” Dany said kindly.

“Sure,” Jon answered.

“Mama, can I play with Ghost outback while you are in here?”

Dany looked to Jon, and he nodded in approval.

“Sure pumpkin, but don’t open that gate, do you understand?” she asked firmly.

He nodded, and together him and Ghost made it to the backyard. Dany showed Jon around the house, and eventually they ended up in the kitchen, where Jon took a seat at the table.

“Can I get you some coffee?” Dany asked as she turned on the coffee pot.

“That would be great, thank you.”

“So, what do you like to do in your freetime?” Jon asked Dany, trying to diminish the awkwardness.

She was surprised at the question, and she thought about it for a moment.

“Well, I don’t really have a ton of free time. I go to work, I take care of Rhaego, I cook, I clean, and I pay the bills. I was actually hoping that with Ghost, I could start jogging on some mornings, if my shift doesn’t start too early.”

“I saw you had scrubs on at the conference, do you work in the medical field?”

“Yes, I’m a neonatal nurse at Winterfell Children’s Hospital.”

“Wow, that’s incredible” Jon said, “what made you pick such a difficult specialty?”

“Rhaego was born 10 weeks early. His first week of life was the most terrifying week of mine, but the nurses at the hospital where he was born were so kind and supportive; I knew we wouldn’t have made it without them. I was already in nursing school when he was born, so I decided from my hospital bed that I was going to work with the little guys in the future, and I never changed my mind. It can’t be harder than wrangling seven year olds all day.”

Jon laughed, and Dany admired the softness of his eyes. He shifted in his seat as she brought his coffee and sat down beside him, blushing ever so slightly.

“I’ve given you my life story, what are you about, Jon Snow?”

He went through his list of activities, and Dany was thoroughly impressed.

“You’re a real community man, aren’t you?”

“It keeps me active and busy and productive, so I guess you could say that.”

Jon then took a sip of coffee and nearly spit it out. Dany looked at him with wide eyes, and put a hand on his arm.

“I thought it was a given that it was hot, are you alright?”

“No, it’s not the heat, it’s just, you hardly put any cream or sugar in it.”

Dany laughed, “oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t even think to ask. There aren’t many adults that come around here, of my two close friends, one drinks tea, and the other drinks coffee black. She’s a lawyer so I guess that makes sense, no time to add anything,” Dany said as she brought him over more cream and sugar.

Dany watched him carefully as he poured the amount of sugar she would use in a week into his cup. His hair was down today, and it hung in gorgeous loose rings around his face. He had a simple grey sweatshirt, but Dany diverted her gaze to the window before he could catch her staring. She watched Rhaego doing his best to chase Ghost, who spun in circles around him.

“This is the first time he’s willingly played outside. It’s so hard for him sometimes, but the physical therapist keeps telling me the more he walks on his leg the more muscle tone he’ll build.,” Dany explained.

“I think Ghost will certainly motivate him, he reads energy levels really well, and so he’d also be up for just lying on the couch with him if that’s what Rhaego feels like doing.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of getting him a dog years ago. Maybe it would have helped when we were trying to get him to walk in the first place.”

“Better late than never, right? I’m just glad Ghost found a great home.”

“When that dog came at me my life flashed before my eyes. I thought it was a bear that was barreling towards me, and now that bear is my dog.”

“I think he’s your son’s dog,” Jon laughed, watching as Ghost put a very gentle paw on Rhaego’s shoulder.

“I just hope this makes him happier. I love him to death, but this year has been hard for him, especially with school.”

“Your boy is an absolute wonder Daenerys. He’s the most polite seven year old I’ve ever met. And if you trust me, I will make sure he has a good time in school, and he’ll come home to you and probably have an even better time here with you and Ghost,” Jon promised.

“Thank you for saying that Jon, I can’t wait for him to start with you.”

“And I can’t wait to have him in class. Thank you for the coffee, and the sugar,” Jon winked.

“Of course, I’ll call them in so you can say goodbye.”

Dany stuck her head out of the backdoor and called for Rhaego and Ghost. Instead of running to the door, Ghost stayed by Rhaego’s side as he trekked back in. They made it in, and Jon embraced Ghost, giving him lots of scratches and kisses.

“Take care of him, ay?” Jon said, smiling at Rhaego.

“Ay,” Rhaego repeated in Jon’s accent, “I promise Mr. Snow, we’re gonna be best friends.”

Jon stood up, and Dany gave him a gentle hug.

“I can’t thank you enough,” she whispered in his ear, and he took her hand.

“It’s my pleasure, maybe I could come visit Ghost some time?”

“Of course you can! You’re always welcome.”

Ghost cried for a moment when Jon left, but before he could think about it too much Rhaego was already pulling him upstairs to read to him.

“Go ahead and play, and I’ll make us breakfast, or brunch I guess,” Dany said, pulling her hair into a bun as she stared down the newly stocked pantry.

She caved and made waffles for Rhaego, but when she called him down, she didn’t hear a response. She called again, and went to the bottom of the stairs. That’s when she heard the water running. Fear gripped her and she ran up the stairs, calling Rhaego’s name the entire way up.

Before she stopped to listen for an answer Dany threw the bathroom door open. She found Rhaego sitting happily outside of the bathtub, washing Ghost with the new soap they had bought at the pet store.

“Hi Mama!” he called when she came in.

“Oh thank God,” Dany said, running her hands through her hair and dropping to her knees beside him. Ghost shook, and soap suds and water soaked both her and Rhaego.

She would always remember the splashing. And the thick voice behind the bathroom door. And Rhaego’s choking cries when she appeared. She just had to run to the store for diapers. They had been on sale that day.

“What’s wrong Mama?” Rhaego asked, shaking her out of her thoughts.

“Nothing, buddy, but remember we made a deal that you wouldn’t start a bath without telling me first?” she answered as she tried to control her breathing.

“Yes, but I was just giving Ghost a bath,” he said, looking down.

“Okay, then let’s make that a part of the rule. Even for Ghost, you still have to tell me, okay?”

“Okay Mama, I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright, now let’s get the both of you dried off before the waffles get cold,” she said as her heartrate started to return to normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next chapter: Rhaego's first day of school, and a busy day of work for Dany


	7. Baby Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhaego worries about his first day of school, and Dany worries that she's not doing enough to help him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry this took so long to post, my dog is sick so I've been spending a lot of time with her. I'm not the proudest of this chapter, but I really wanted to try writing from Rhaego's pov, so that's pretty cute I think.

“Rhaego, it’s time for bed, it’s a school night.”

Rhaego’s heart sunk, and he looked around at all of the Lego’s he had sprawled around the living room.

“Okay Mama, I’ll clean these up and then I’ll go to bed,” he said, trying to stall the inevitable.

“Nice try buddy, I’ll clean them up, you need to get to sleep.”

Rhaego frowned; he could never outsmart his mom. Ghost lazily walked over from his water bowl and nudged Rhaego up with his snout. They made their way over to the stairs and Ghost started climbing, but he paused when he realized his sidekick hadn’t followed. Rhaego lifted his arms up to his mom, but she shook her head.

“I want you to practice going up yourself. Hold onto Ghost, that’s what he’s standing there for. I’ll be right behind you.”

Rhaego furrowed his brows in frustration as he tried to convince his leg to move. Slowly, and shakily, he moved it to the next step. He remembered Grey’s words: breathe, and tell your leg what you want it to do. Ghost walked step by step with him, and Dany stood behind him. He could feel her hands hovering from behind, ready to catch him.

“I’m sorry Mama, I’m slow today,” he said, turning back to her.

“Take all the time you need, I’m right here. You’re doing great,” she smiled at him.

Finally, he made it to the final step. He sat down exasperated, and pulled Ghost into a hug.

“Good job Rhaego, that was even faster than the last time,” Dany encouraged.

Dany lifted Rhaego into his bed, and pulled the covers up around him, making sure he was warm. She sat on the side of the bed for a moment, and he held onto her hand.

“Mama?” he asked as she was about to stand up.

“Yes pumpkin?”

“It’s so easy for everyone else to get up the stairs, and no one is proud of them when they do it. They run so fast in gym class, they score home runs in baseball, or make goals during soccer. Why can’t I be like them?” he asked.

“Rhaego, honey, I don’t know who or what gets to decide the way we’re born, but we can’t control it. I don’t know why, but that’s the leg you were given. I know it seems impressive that they can do all of that, but sweetheart, you are amazing in so many other ways too. You are so smart, and resilient, and kind, and those are the things that matter in life. You always get back up when you fall down, even when you don’t want to. That’s why I’m proud of you. I’ll bet you if any of those kids had to endure what you do, they wouldn’t even try walking. You’re such a beautiful soul Rhaego, you’re beautiful. Don’t let anyone ever tell you differently, okay?” Dany said, choking up at her own words.

“I can build Legos better than any of them,” he smiled.

“Yes you can, and I’ll bet you know more about the ocean than all of them put together.”

They both laughed, and Ghost licked away Dany’s tears and jumped up on the bed beside them.

“Goodnight Mama, I love you,” Rhaego said.

“I love you too Rhaego, I’ll see you in the morning. I’m going to go downstairs to watch some TV, but I’ll be back up in a little while if you need anything.”

Rhaego nodded and listened to her footsteps as she walked downstairs. He rolled over, and heard her yell out. He held back a laugh and sat up a little bit in bed.

“Are you alright Mama?” he yelled.

“Yes Rhaego, I just stepped on a Lego. Go to sleep!”

He shook his head and rolled over. Ghost had curled up at the bottom of the bed, his snout resting on Rhaego’s feet and his paws dangling off of the edge of the mattress.

“We’ve got to get you a bigger bed Ghost,” Rhaego yawned, drifting to sleep.

…

_They were coming for him at all directions, but he couldn’t move. He was stuck to the floor, and no matter how hard he tried to scream, he couldn’t make a noise. It was the same boys who had pushed him over, but there were more. He couldn’t keep count as they came from doors, and windows, everywhere. He closed his eyes and braced himself._

Suddenly, Rhaego was awake, Ghost licking his face and looking at him through the darkness. He wiped away his tears, wincing when he accidently bumped the cut on his face. Eventually he calmed himself down, but he couldn’t shake the panic the bad dream had left. He wanted Dany. He pet Ghost, stroking his silky ears, and eventually he sat up and looked into the hallway. A minute later, Rhaego had gotten out of bed and was using Ghost as support to walk to Dany’s bedroom.

“Mama?” he asked shyly from her bedside.

The bed rustled as she rolled over and looked at him with sleepy eyes.

“What’s wrong honey?”

“I had a nightmare,” he whispered, breaking into tears.

“Okay, you’re alright, come here,” she soothed.

He started to cry as Dany sat up and pulled him into her lap. She rocked back and forth and held his head to her shoulder. The thought of going back to school made his stomach turn, but he was afraid to tell her that he was terrified.

“You’re scared for tomorrow, aren’t you?” she asked gently, reading his mind.

He nodded against her and sniffled.

“I had a dream that the boys were chasing me again, but I couldn’t move.”

“Oh Rhaego, they can’t get you anymore. I was going to wait until tomorrow to tell you, but Mr. Snow is going to get you a hallway buddy so you never have to walk alone. And, he said you’re welcome to stay in with him at recess, or he’ll go out with you. You’re going to have so much more fun and feel much more comfortable in your new class; can you trust me about that?”

He sighed and nodded against her. His eyes closed as she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead.

“Mama?” he asked quietly.

“Hmm?”

“Can I sleep with you?”

“Yes, come on, lay down,” she murmured.

He felt Dany giggle when Ghost leaped into the bed with them, trying to nudge his way in to cuddle.

“I’ll share my Mama with you Ghost, since you don’t have one,” Rhaego yawned.

“I’m sure he has one Rhaego, he just doesn’t live with her anymore.”

“I wanna live with you forever,” Rhaego whispered.

“Okay, we’ll see how you feel about that in another ten years,” Dany laughed.

Rhaego pressed himself to Dany’s side and rested his head on her chest. He felt her hand gently rubbing his back, and his eyes grew heavy again. She was so warm, and so soft, and she smelled like the lavender soap she had just gotten from the store. He listened to her heartbeat, and within minutes he had drifted back to sleep. This time, he only dreamt of Ghost.

…

“Rhaego, you need to let go now, I have to go to work,” Dany said gently.

“No,” Rhaego refused, gripping her leg even tighter.

He looked up to her anxious face and the patient smile from Mr. Snow. They had made it to school, but Rhaego asked Dany if she would walk him to the door. And then the office. And then the hallway. That’s where they stood now.

“I’m sorry,” Dany said to Jon, “he promised me he wouldn’t do this.”

 _Just let go_ , Rhaego thought to himself. That’s all he had to do. After all, he had promised his mom just that morning in the car that he wouldn’t hang onto her, as she called it, like a baby koala. Jon put a hand on Dany’s shoulder to calm her, and Rhaego felt her exhale in frustration. He unpeeled himself from her leg, and she thanked him. He turned to Mr. Snow, who held his hand out for Rhaego, and he took it quickly.

“I love you Rhaego, I’ll see you when I get home from work. Aunt Sansa’s picking you up today,” she said, thanking Jon and walking briskly down the hall before Rhaego could change his mind.

“We’re gonna have a great day Rhaego, your classmates are super excited to meet you,” Jon encouraged. Rhaego nodded, and only hesitated for a moment when they got to the door.

They walked into the classroom together, and Rhaego could feel the other kids’ eyes staring at him. He wished more than ever that he could be invisible, but to his surprise, a couple of his classmates smiled at him and waved.

“Good morning kiddos, today we have a new student. His name is Rhaego, everyone say good morning Rhaego.”

“Good morning Rhaego,” everyone repeated, and then many went back to coloring or reading. No one stared at his crutch, or his glasses. In fact, he noticed that many of the kids wore glasses just like him.

“Rhaego, you’re going to sit here, at table 3. These are your partners for now, Shireen and Lyanna. “

Shireen gave him a huge smile and stuck out her hand for him to shake.

“Hi Rhaego, Mr. Snow told me you were coming last week, and he said you like to read just like me! I already picked out a pile of my favorite books so we can read them together. Do you want to bring yours tomorrow, and we can switch?”

Rhaego blinked at her for a moment, before he let out a shy smile and nodded.

“Yes that sounds fun,” he said quietly.

Before he could get another word in, Shireen had run to the classroom library to grab her pile of books. Rhaego looked over to Lyanna, who was still coloring quietly.

“Hi,” he murmured.

“Hello Rhaego,” she said stoically, not looking up at him, “would you like a coloring page? We always color for the first twenty minutes of class.”

“Okay, thank you,” he replied as she handed him a piece of paper.

Rhaego was overwhelmed as he tried to color and listen to Shireen as she read him her books, but he felt pretty comfortable. He glanced around the room, and everyone looked very content talking to their friends or just coloring. He figured he could get used to this.

Jon clapped his hands together three times, and the class clapped back in perfect rhythm.

“Today we are going to start reading the books that my friend from the high school had his students write, I’ll hand one to each table and you will popcorn read together. Read the back first, the students had to work on summaries, so see if they describe the story well. Please, be gentle with these books, they’re homemade, so we can’t get more copies. I’m looking at you table 5.”

Jon handed out the books, and Lyanna grabbed theirs, infatuated by the cover. Shireen leaned forward, trying to see what she was staring at.

“What’s it called?” Shireen asked.

“ _A Dance with Dragons_. Do you want to read the summary Rhaego?” Lyanna asked.

He took the book and looked at the back cover.

“A Queen with three dragons has a goal to make the world a better place. She starts off with nothing, but after she makes a trade for three dragon eggs and they hatch, she becomes unstoppable in her quest. Take the journey with her as she goes on wild adventures, fights for justice, and makes plenty of friends along the way.”

“Interesting,” Lyanna remarked, scrunching her face in thought.

“Well, start it, I can’t wait!” Shireen squealed.

Rhaego put his hands up in defense and then opened the cover.

“Once upon a time, many years ago, the Dragon Queen set sail to save the world. But before she was the Dragon Queen, she was just a young girl longing for home.”

…

Dany parked the car in her usual spot and looked at her watch. She had ten minutes before her shift started. So, she decided now was as good a time as any, and she let herself begin to cry. Shuddering sobs racked her whole body, and she just let her tears fall. She couldn’t protect her little boy from the cruelty of the world anymore, a fear she’d had since the moment she learned of his disability. Maybe she would just take him out of school and teach him at home, she’d find some other way to make money. She wanted to run away with him, and keep him away from the monsters of the world, of whom she’d encountered far more than her fair share. After five more minutes, she slowed her breathing, and looked at her face in the car mirror. It was puffy and red and she pressed her cold hands to it, trying to make herself presentable. She was about to step out of the car when she received a message from Tyrion on her pager.

_There’s an emergency C-section in 10 minutes, scrub in? You’re good at calming the Moms._

She sighed, grateful for the distraction, and ran inside to make it to the operating room in time.

…

At the end of the day, Dany sat in the break room, holding her head in her hands. It had been a terrible day. One of her patients was back in the NICU after contracting a horrible infection, and his odds did not look very good. Two other babies were rushed into surgery, and the ones who weren’t incredibly ill had been very cranky all day long; pulling monitors off and crying until she picked up each and every one of them. Her head was pounding as she struggled to hold back tears. She was startled when Missandei came in quietly, and she rested her head on her shoulder when she came and sat beside her.

“I’m so sorry to hear about the little guy, he’s back in the NICU?” Missandei asked.

Dany nodded, and Missandei’s eyes widened in shock when she started to cry. She wrapped her arms around Dany and tried to comfort her.

“Hey, what is it? It’s part of the job Dany, you almost never let it get to you like this, what happened?”

“He just, that little baby is fighting so hard. It’s not fair; he shouldn’t have to do this. Why is the world so mean to innocent things?”

“Oh Dany, don’t worry yourself with those questions. The world is a terrible place, we all know that. But it’s also beautiful. Think of all of the babies who you’ve saved, that’s got to count for something,” Missandei offered.

“I know, I know, but this baby, he looks like Rhaego did that first week. I was so fucking terrified every day, and I told myself I’d die with him if anything happened. Now he’s petrified to even go to school, and again, I can’t do anything to make him feel better. It’s tearing me apart. I feel completely helpless, and I’m all alone,” she sobbed.

“Dany, sweetheart, take some deep breaths. He’s going to be okay, he’s a tough kid. He’s always been a tough kid. He’s starting in a new class; I think things will be a lot better. Have you talked to him about his day yet?”

Dany shook her head.

“Okay, well, start there. And you are not alone. You have me, and Sansa, and Grey, and the entire Stark family. You basically have an entire army behind you, and you know we’d do anything for you.”

After a couple more minutes Dany had calmed down, praying that when she got home Rhaego would have positive news about school. She got up to leave with Missandei, and they headed to the parking lot together.

“You know, maybe you should come back to labor and delivery. It’s a lot less sad, and we could work together,” Missandei offered temptingly.

“That’s enticing, but you know where I belong. I have a thing for the ‘lost causes,’ as you like to call them.”

“Very well, I’ll see you tomorrow, you martyr.”

Dany chuckled for a moment and got into the car. _God_ , she thought to herself, it felt so good to laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I'm really excited about the upcoming chapters, we finally have the fieldtrip, and Sansa's birthday party. The plot should be movin' and groovin' by then, and we'll learn more about how Dany knows the Starks. They'll be up soon!


	8. Field Trips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the big first grade field trip to the aquarium, and Jon and Dany have their hands full with both the seven year-olds and each other. Jon’s POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Much to my surprise, this chapter was really hard to write. I don’t know why, but I find Jon’s perspective a lot harder to create, but I hope I did okay. Anyways, this chapter is a lot of fluff, but I think you’ll find Jon’s thoughts interesting. There will be more angst next chapter, and, as I have kept promising, more background info and some more fun character introductions (aka the rest of the Starks). Final note: Stannis is just a normal dad, he does nothing evil or remotely bad, he’s just a little background character to very harmlessly get in Jon’s way, you’ll see :)

Jon woke up, as he did every morning, at exactly 6 am. He reached his arm out for Ghost, and yet again was met with the bittersweet realization that the other side of the bed was empty. It was a good thing, he told himself, that Ghost was helping his student feel more comfortable, and that he was in a loving home. He got up and did his usual morning workout, ending in a run around the park. He came back, got dressed in jeans and a sweat shirt, and made avocado toast for himself before he left for work. It was fieldtrip day to the aquarium. He loved fieldtrips, they were always so exciting for the kids, but today he just felt stressed, as he had been left in charge of the planning and execution of the entire day.

The parking lot was already crowded with the families of first graders when Jon pulled in. He got out of the car and was immediately bombarded with questions pertaining to itineraries and bus numbers and emergency contacts. He cursed Cersei for assigning him sole responsibility of the 1st grade fieldtrip in his second year of teaching. Once the buses arrived and he’d handed out all of the schedules to worried parents, he boarded his own bus and said hello to some of his students who were sitting and waiting, somewhat patiently. He turned around to see Shireen hopping up the steps, followed by her dad, who already looked exhausted.

“Mr. Snow! Great day for a field trip, isn’t it?” Stannis said, slightly short of breath.

“Good morning Mr. Baratheon, sure is. Thanks for coming out today,” Jon said, shaking his hand.

“Would you like me to sit next to you? Got that new truck I was telling you about at the conference, I could show you the pictures and videos, had my wife take some while I was driving it around.”

Jon groaned internally: Stannis was a very nice man, but he could talk Jon’s ear off about things he could care less about. In all honesty, he wanted to try and sit with Dany.

“Well, Mr. Baratheon, do you think you could sit across from me? I just want to make sure both sides of the bus have a chaperone on them, we’ve got a lot of first graders on this bus to keep calm.”

“Of course, we can talk across the aisle!”

“Great!” Jon said, but he was interrupted when he heard his name from outside of the bus. It was Dany.

She was holding Rhaego’s hands and standing behind him as he tried to climb the bus stairs, which were very narrow and very tall. Jon quickly came over to the front of the bus and walked down the steps.

“Good morning guys, do you need help?” Jon asked, and Rhaego looked up to him with pleading eyes.

“Good morning! Could you just lift him up? We don’t want to expend all of our energy before we even get there,” Dany said cheerfully as Jon lifted Rhaego onto the bus before anyone could make a scene of it.

Dany gave him a silent thank you and looked around the bus as she climbed on. Jon couldn’t help but appreciate how gorgeous Dany looked that morning. She was wearing dark blue jeans, and a simple red long sleeve shirt that hugged her curves. And her hair, he had no idea how she braided it so intricately every day. He thought back to the morning he’d dropped off Ghost, when her hair was wild and curly and…

“Jon!” Cersei said louder the second time. He could feel Dany stiffen beside him.

“Oh, sorry Ms. Lannister, I was just thinking about the schedule for today,” he stuttered, trying to find a plausible excuse for his foolishness.

“Sure you were. I was just making sure everything was in order before you head out,” she said, looking at her clipboard.

He blushed in embarrassment for his thoughts, and smiled at her excitedly.

“Absolutely, would you like a copy of the schedule?” he asked, offering her the paper. Slowly, she pushed it back down.

“Oh no, that’s alright. I put the trip in very capable hands, I’m sure you have it under control. Have fun Mr. Snow, and you too Ms. Targaryen,” Cersei chirped.

“Oh spare me,” Dany said under her breath, and Jon had to suppress a chuckle.

“Would you like to sit next to me? I saved a seat for you,” he said quietly, looking to Stannis to make sure he wasn’t listening.

“Thank you for thinking of me, but I’ll sit with Rhaego, we always,” she paused, looking over to him, “sit together.”

Jon looked to what stopped Dany, and he saw that Rhaego had already made his way down the bus and was sitting next to Shireen. He couldn’t help but see the hurt in Dany’s eyes, so he tried to lighten the situation.

“Would you like the window seat?”

She smiled up at him and slid past into the seat. He was so surprised his plan had worked that he hit his head on the storage compartment of the bus when he stood up to take attendance. This time it was Dany’s turn to suppress a laugh, and Jon grabbed the side of his head.

“Are you alright?” she asked, looking up at him with concern.

“Fine” he said, once again, trying to mask his embarrassment. This day had not run as smoothly as he had planned it. He took attendance, and sat down beside Dany as the bus started to move. His leg touched hers for a moment, but he quickly pulled away, hoping she hadn’t noticed. She smiled at him, but kept stealing glances at Rhaego.

“Are you alright? You look a little sad,” he said when she looked back a fourth time.

“Me? Oh, I’m fine. I’m not sad, really, I’m so glad he’s found friends in his class, he’s always talking about how much he loves school now. I should be thanking you, I don’t know how you changed his mind so quickly. I was so worried about him at the beginning of this week, and you have no idea how thankful I am that he’s happy with school.”

“But?” Jon predicted.

“But, I have to get used to the fact that he’s growing up. Everything goes so fast, and he’s my only child, so I’m just trying to enjoy every moment with him. Things like this get me by surprise sometimes, that’s all. One day when you have kids you’ll know what I mean.”

Jon put a hand on her shoulder, and he felt her lean into it ever so slightly.

“You’ll be okay. I can tell that he loves you a lot; he always talks about you at school. We’re reading these books that were written by high schoolers, and he always says that the protagonist of his favorite one reminds him of you, because you’re ‘nice and you love to help people’. Hey, his words, not mine,” Jon said defensively as she blushed.

“Thank you, that does make me feel better. I must ask, who is this protagonist?”

“She doesn’t have a name. She goes by the Dragon Queen.”

“Hmm, the Dragon Queen, I think that suits me,” she pondered.

…

The first half of the field trip had gone incredibly well. Jon had seen enough fish to last him his whole life, but the kids were infatuated with all of the habitats that they visited. They saw a show, had a tour of the freshwater fish of the aquarium, and were now watching a shark feeding. Three kids in Jon’s group had screamed and begun to cry when the shark swam by the glass, and he rushed to quiet them and help them to understand that the shark, in there, could not get them, out here. He saw Dany laugh at him from the other side of the room while her entire group sat perfectly still, mesmerized by the sharks.

“Mr. Snow, will you protect me?” one of his kids asked, hiding behind his legs.

He patted the child’s head at sat down beside him.

“I really don’t have to, since the sharks can’t get out here, but yes, I will protect you buddy,” he relented.

Finally, it was time for lunch, and Jon brought his kids over to the table where Dany’s group sat. Stannis waved him over, but he looked away quickly enough to pretend he didn’t see. He felt relieved when another chaperone sat with him, so Jon continued to walk over to Dany.

“Mind if we sit with you guys?” he asked her.

Dany looked up at him in surprise, but she slowly moved over and patted the seat next to her, “this isn’t high school, Mr. Snow, you can sit wherever you please,” she said, rather awkwardly.

They spent most of their lunch trying to keep kids in their seats, and Jon had taken all of three bites of his salad when Rhaego limped over between him and Dany.

“Hey bud, what’s wrong?” she asked as he started to roll up his pant leg.

“It’s too tight,” he whimpered, revealing angry, swollen skin around the brace on his leg.

“Oh God Rhaego, look at this; it’s cutting into your skin.”

“What is?” Jon asked, peering over in curiosity.

“My brace,” Rhaego grimaced as Dany pulled it off.

“He got a new brace yesterday for his leg at his physical therapy session, but it’s clearly not fitting very well. I’ll text Grey, we’ll have to get another one made.”

“But this one has fish on it,” Rhaego complained.

“Okay, I’ll make sure the new one has a fish design too.”

He nodded happily and Dany lifted him back into his seat so that he could finish eating. Jon felt so bad for Rhaego; why would such a good kid have to deal with so much? He smiled at Dany when she sat beside him again.

“Is he alright, how did he wait that long?”

“Yeah, he’s okay, but he only has partial feeling in that leg so sometimes when he gets a new brace, it takes a little while before we realize that it doesn’t fit. I’ll put some ointment on it when we get back to the bus, but I’ll have to carry him for the rest of the day. I didn’t think he’d need his chair so I didn’t bring it.”

“He can’t walk without the brace?”

“For short distances yes, but after a while, his ankle starts to stiffen, and eventually he’s walking on his toes and he can’t help it,” she explained.

“Oh my, I’m sorry for being nosy,” he apologized.

“Don’t apologize,” she answered, “it’s probably good for you to know anyway.”

After lunch, the kids went onto the next portion of the day. Jon laughed as Rhaego squealed in excitement when they made it to the dolphins, but he saw Dany put him down on a bench and clutch her back. Keeping one eye on his group, Jon walked over to them.

“Are you alright?” Jon asked Dany, who stood up straight and looked to him.

“Oh, yes, just stretching. Carrying 45 pounds around for an hour is taxing,” she exhaled.

Jon looked to Dany, and remembered then how tiny she was. He couldn’t believe she’d made it with Rhaego that long, and she looked up to him with a pained expression.

“I can carry him for the rest of the day. We have about an hour left, I don’t want you to hurt yourself,” Jon offered.

“Oh, I can’t make you do that, are you sure? He’s heavier than you think after a while,” she joked, and Rhaego hid behind her legs.

“It’s no problem, if you can just help me watch my kiddos too. Do you want to see the dolphins again Rhaego,” Jon asked, crouching down to Rhaego’s height so he could climb onto his back.

Rhaego nodded eagerly and Jon took him over to the dolphins. He laughed as they flipped around and swam past, and Rhaego smiled at the camera as Dany tried to sneak in some pictures. Jon and Rhaego listened to the entire information session on dolphins while Dany herded the two groups of kids around the nearby exhibits.

As they moved past the dolphins, Rhaego started to speak.

“Mr. Snow, thank you for helping my Mama, I know I’m too heavy for her to carry,” he seemed to apologize.

Jon was shocked at Rhaego’s level of concern for Dany, but he felt somewhat relieved that he cared so much.

“No worries buddy, I’m glad you care about your mom, that’s very kind of you. What should we go see next?”

“I think we should stay at the dolphins forever!”

Jon couldn’t say no, and as they walked back, Shireen approached them from the side.

“Hey, why does Rhaego get a piggy-back ride, but I have to walk? That’s not fair,” she complained.

“Shireen, let’s think before we speak, if we don’t have something nice to say…” Jon waited for her to finish the phrase.

“Then we shouldn’t say it at all,” she sulked with her head down.

“Shireen, you know Rhaego’s legs work a little bit differently than ours do, and the equipment that helps him to walk like us wasn’t quite working today. Let’s try to be more patient and understanding next time, okay?”

Shireen nodded, and looked to Rhaego, “I’m sorry Rhaego, I didn’t mean it. Are we still friends?”

He nodded against Jon and smiled at her.

“Do you want to watch the dolphins with us?” Rhaego asked.

She nodded, and stood beside Jon and Rhaego as the dolphins swam up to the glass.

…

By the time they had gotten back onto the bus, it was starting to get dark. Rhaego sat with Shireen again, and Jon had managed to stall so that he could get on the bus with Dany and sit with her again. He didn’t hit his head this time when he took attendance, and he yawned as the bus pulled out of the aquarium parking lot.

“I don’t care what you say, but I’d much rather be with newborns all day than seven year olds, how do you do this every day?” Dany asked, copying his yawn.

“Let’s just say it keeps me fit.”

“Speaking of that, I thought you’d be glad to know, I’ve started running with Ghost in the mornings. Two days out of the week I don’t go into work until ten, so once Rhaego’s gone we go all around the neighborhood, and we stop at the park so he can bark at the squirrels.”

“I’m sure he loves that, he’s not pulling too much, is he?”

“No, I think he understands that I weigh about as much as he does, so he’s very gentle.”

“So he’d only mess with me then? God, I miss that dog,” he mumbled.

“I could certainly understand why, he’s the most amazing dog I’ve ever met. I told you to come and visit sometime, you should! ”

It was then Jon was empowered by a surge of courage, and he began to speak before he changed his mind.

“Actually, along those lines, I was going to ask if you would like to go out sometime. For dinner, or lunch, or whatever you’d like. You’re a nurse, so your schedule is probably all over the place, but…”

“Jon, relax,” she soothed.

He could feel his cheeks turning bright red, and he diverted his gaze to the window during her painfully long pause.

“Jon, I think you’re a very nice guy, who else would carry around my son for me all afternoon? But, I don’t want to cross any lines, you’re Rhaego’s teacher, and that first time we met, I just don’t want to complicate things. I’ve never really even gone on a date, my first relationship was sort of bestowed upon me very quickly, with disastrous results, so I’m not exactly used to the whole dating process. Let me think about it, okay?” she answered calmly.

“Of course, I’m sorry if I’ve made it more awkward, I didn’t mean for it to be,” he mumbled.

She put a hand on his arm and smiled, “it wasn’t, and it was really nice of you to ask. No one really notices me that way, so I am flattered. But I think about, that kiss, and I cringe, I feel like it wasn’t even me that night when I met you. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong idea.”

“No worries, why don’t you fill me in on more of Ghost’s antics,” he asked, trying to change the conversation and save himself from the humiliation.

…

Jon thought about Dany the entire time to the airport to pick up his mom. How could no one notice her _that way_? He was quite certain she was the most beautiful person he’d ever seen; surely someone would have seen that by now, wouldn’t they? He wondered what could have possibly happened in her relationship with Rhaego’s father that would have scarred her so badly, and he shivered at the possibilities. _It’s none of your damn business Snow,_ he thought to himself, and was happy enough that they seemed to be friends. He changed his attention to finding the right section of the airport to park in, which damn terminal did Mom say?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Sansa’s birthday party! Hint hint, there will be some dancing involved ;)


	9. Happy Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa celebrates her 26th birthday while Dany just tries to sort through her feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again! A lot of you have been asking good questions about how Dany knows the Starks and so forth, and I'm hoping this chapter answers a lot of those questions. Pay close attention to Dany's speech because that's where most of the exposition is. As always, please ask if something is confusing, because that lets me know that I haven't done a good enough job of explaining it. Thank you for reading!

“Woah,” Rhaego said, blinking up at Dany and adjusting his glasses as he walked into her bathroom.

She was sitting on the edge of the sink, doing her makeup and getting ready for Sansa’s party.

“What is it; did I mess up my makeup?”

“No, your hair Mama, it’s, you didn’t braid it.”

Dany exhaled and laughed, “Well, no, not tonight. I figured I’d let it go free for once, what do you think?”

“You look beautiful!” he cheered, smiling up at her.

“Thanks pumpkin. Did you get everything ready for your sleepover?”

“Yes,” he said, displaying his duffel bag. Dany realized, after further inspection, that it contained only two books and a pair of pajamas.

“Rhaego, you know Rickon isn’t going to want to read, don’t even bother bringing them with you. And I think you forgot some stuff.”

“Like?”

“Uh, like underwear and a pillow and socks and your toothbrush and your medicine…”

“Alright, alright,” he interrupted.

Dany watched as Rhaego pouted and pulled the books out of the bag. She went back to applying mascara, and he approached her again.

“Will you come help me pack?” 

“Rhaego, buddy, can I please get ready in peace? Go pull out what you want, and I’ll check it over when I’m ready. I’m almost done,” she negotiated.

He nodded and went back to his room as she finished up the final touches. Dany almost never wore makeup because she never had the time to do it, but on special occasions she always made sure she carved out an hour to herself so that she could relax and get ready. 

She went over to lock her bedroom door, reminding herself that she was going to have to start teaching Rhaego about boundaries. She slipped her robe off and pulled the dress she’d been waiting for months to wear out of the closet. Nothing Sansa did was ever less than extravagant, so she decided that her 26 th birthday was going to be a black tie, ballroom style event. Dany was planning on taking Rhaego, but Sansa had convinced her to take the night for herself, so both Rhaego and Rickon were staying at the Stark house with a babysitter. 

The first time Dany tried on the dress, she had complained to Sansa that it felt like she was attending the wedding of a King and Queen rather than a birthday party. It was a dark red dress with a neckline that plunged to the middle of her torso. The dress hugged her body very snuggly, and Dany twisted in the mirror, cringing at how her hips somehow seemed uneven. The fabric flowed nicely all the way to the floor, but there was a large slit that went up to the middle of her thigh. She began rummaging through her closet to find something less revealing, knowing full well that Sansa would kill her if she wore anything but this dress. Sansa had picked out and bought the damned thing, after all. 

Finally, Dany found something that would do the trick: a black sweater. She quickly threw it over her shoulders and felt slightly relieved. It wouldn’t cover the view of her entire right leg, but at least her cleavage was hidden. She pulled the heels out of the closet and carried them with her to Rhaego’s room. She wasn’t putting those things on until she stepped into the venue.

This time, Rhaego had packed much more reasonably, and Dany carried his bag down the stairs. 

“Do you want to put your gift in with mine? That way she can open them together.”

Rhaego nodded and slipped his drawing of Sansa’s favorite animal, a wolf, into the gift bag.

“It’s Ghost’s first sleepover, don’t tire him out too much” Dany reminded Rhaego as she grabbed Ghost’s leash and led him out of the door. 

…

Dany dropped Rhaego off at the Stark’s a bit early to get him settled, and she was surprised to see Catelyn open the door when she knocked.

“Oh Dany, you look gorgeous! Rhaego, doesn’t your mom look incredible?” Catelyn stepped onto the porch and gave Dany and Rhaego hugs.

“Yes, she’s the prettiest lady in the whole wide world,” he said proudly.

Dany laughed and looked to Catelyn, “what are you still doing here?” 

“Well my fool of a husband forgot to tell me he’d invited his sister and her son, so I had to come back and get two more seating cards for them. Sansa had everything perfectly planned out, and there was zero room for error, so I had to come fix it.”

Dany shook her head, “Oh Ned,” she sighed.

Catelyn nodded and turned her attention to Rhaego.

“Rickon’s waiting in the living room, he’s got a new video game he wants to play with you. And, I gave the babysitter money to get pizza,” she teased.

Rhaego looked up to Dany excitedly, and she gave him small pecks on both cheeks.

“Go have fun, and be nice to the babysitter,” she said, knowing she didn’t have to worry about his behavior.

He made his way into the house, and Dany and Cat said bye to the babysitter and decided to drive together back to the Country Club where the party was being held.

“Dany, that child looks nothing like you, are you sure he’s yours?”

Dany blushed in the passenger seat and looked down, “I’m quite sure, I was there.”

Catelyn laughed, and Dany played with the seatbelt.

“Cat, that reminds me, can I tell you something?”

“Of course you can sweetheart, what is it?”

“The other morning, I was braiding my hair, and Rhaego was just hanging out with me. You know seven year old’s like to ask ridiculous questions, and he asked me, ‘what if I braid my hair like yours’, and I immediately thought that he’d look just like his father. A chill ran down my spine, and for a minute, I couldn’t even look at him. I feel like a terrible mother, who can’t look at their own child? I’ve always felt that small fear in the back of my mind that he could be like him, but Rhaego’s so sweet and gentle that it never really turned into more until that day. He looks so much like him, and it kills me sometimes, because it shouldn’t matter, so why does it?”

“Oh Dany, don’t cry. I’m so sorry I brought it up; I had no idea you’d been struggling with that. He may look like his father, but he’s got your heart and soul; I know for a fact that kid wouldn’t hurt a fly. Take a deep breath, and know that all mothers have thoughts they’re not proud of, you are hardly alone my dear. If I’m being honest, I think you need to find a way to get past this stuff. I know that’s easier said than done, but therapy, or a hobby, or just trying to meet someone new and make better memories, it can’t hurt to try. Now, we’re here, let’s go have fun, okay?” Catelyn said as she wiped Dany’s tears.

Dany sniffled and thanked Catelyn when she handed her a tissue. It had been seven years, why were so many memories resurfacing all of the time now?

As Cat and Dany walked towards the building, they spotted Ned walking in with a woman Dany didn’t recognize.

“Hi dear, how are you?” Ned said, giving her a quick hug.

“I’m very well, I’m guessing this is your sister?” Dany said, smiling at the woman.

“Yes, this is Lyanna,” he said as Dany and Lyanna shook hands.

“Well, Sansa surely does have the most gorgeous friends. I’ve never seen hair quite so light, is that natural?”

“One hundred percent, I wish I had time to dye it,” Dany joked.

“Why would you say that? I would just about die to have hair that gorgeous, you must not be from the North.”

“No, I was actually born in Dragonstone, but I grew up in King’s Landing. Then we moved to Essos when my parents expanded their business. My hair was white from all of the son, you should have seen it then,” she laughed.

“Oh I could only imagine,” Lyanna said, placing a hand on Dany’s shoulder.

Lyanna was beautiful. She had dark hair that was nearly as long as Dany’s, and her laugh and smile alone made Dany feel happier. 

“I thought Ned said you have a son who was coming with you?”

“Oh, yes, he’s usual very punctual, but there was an emergency at the animal shelter where he volunteers, so he had to go tend to that. He said he should be here by dinner.”

“Well, he sounds like a nice guy,” Dany said as they headed inside the building.

Sansa’s face lit up when she saw Dany walk in, and she quickly walked over to her. She was wearing a gorgeous black dress, and her hair was in a beautiful up-do with tiny ringlets falling around her face. A very nervous man with wavy hair trailed behind her.

“Dany! Oh my love, you look so hot!” Sansa said, pulling her into a huge embrace and kissing her on the cheek.

Dany blushed, but she hugged her back, feeling another release of stress. Sansa pulled away slightly, and asked Dany with her eyes if she was okay, and she nodded ever so slightly.

“Happy birthday Sansa, what a beautiful party this is.”

The decorations were beautiful, autumn flowers and small candles covered the entire room. Tables were set up neatly, and there was a large dance floor waiting in the middle. Sansa had always loved dancing, and was sure to make it part of each and every occasion. Dany finished glancing around the room and her eyes landed on the man standing behind Sansa.

“Oh, I almost forgot, this is Theon, the one I was telling you about on the phone a couple of weeks ago, we have officially been dating for two months” she winked, and Theon smiled at her shyly.

Dany held back a laugh, Sansa had been talking to her about Theon for nearly four months now, but Dany was sworn to secrecy, so she stuck out her hand, and he shook it.

“You must be Daenerys, I’ve heard lots about you,” Theon smiled warmly.

“All good I hope,” Dany joked, her heart swelling as she saw how happy Sansa looked.

“So, I have a cousin, it turns out he moved back from King’s Landing a couple of years ago, and Dad invited him to the party. I haven’t seen him since before I left to study abroad in Essos, so if you see a strange man with dark, curly hair, please alert me so I can go say hi,” Sansa whispered to Dany as she led her to her table.

“Will do,” Dany agreed, greeting the Starks as she sat down next to Arya and Robb.

…

Dany was having a lot of fun. She hadn’t planned on drinking, but now that she wasn’t a designated driver anymore, she decided a little bit of vodka couldn’t hurt. Plus, she was going to need the courage to present her gift to Sansa, as she had requested the microphone before they started dancing.

Dany had been planning this gift since the day she adopted Ghost, and there were several times she had almost changed her mind, scared of the reaction it would receive. It brought Catelyn to tears when she offered her the idea, and after that she knew she had to do it. When dinner was finished, Cat brought Dany up to the little stage on the side of the dance floor, and they managed to get everyone’s attention. Dany brought Sansa up to stand next to her, and she took her hand. She looked around at the different tables, and she felt comforted by all of the Starks smiling warmly at her. She saw Ned and Cat and Robb and Arya and Bran and Lyanna, and, Jon? She tried to calculate how many drinks she had as they locked eyes. What was he doing here? Suddenly Dany realized that the room had been silent in anticipation for a moment too long, so she began to speak.

“Okay, hello everyone! Wow, there are a lot of people here.”

_Dammit Dany, just give the speech you memorized_ , she thought to herself.

“Anyways, Sansa always chastises me for never being sentimental enough with her, so I decided that I was going to put together the most emotional gift I could, starting with this speech. I figured I’d start by telling the story of how we became friends, is that alright Sansa?”

Sansa already had tears in her eyes, but she nodded eagerly, and Dany cleared her throat.

“I met Sansa while she was an exchange student in Essos. I was 15 years old, in 9 th grade, and I had just lost both of my parents in a plane crash. I don’t remember much about that time, everything was so dark. But Sansa, she was my light. She was happy, and forgiving, and saw only the best in the world. She came into that school with people telling her to stay away from the weird, sulking orphan, but she ignored all of them. At her first lunch period she sat right next to me when I was sitting alone. She was nice without being overbearing, and funny without being insensitive. She understood me in a way no one else had, and for the first time in months, I had something to look forward to when I woke up. Flash forward to the end of the school year, and Sansa Stark was my best friend. I’m fully convinced now that Sansa is my soulmate; she knows me better than I know myself. I cried so hard the day she went back home, I didn’t think I’d ever stop. They say long distance relationships don’t work, but we certainly stayed just as close for the years we spent on different continents. Thank God for technology, although I would have found a way to send ravens across the sea if it meant I could talk to her. Four years after she went back home, when I left Essos with almost no money, no plan, and a seven-month old baby, Sansa’s family welcomed me into their home with open arms, making sure my son and I were healthy and happy. They helped me finish nursing school, and let me live with them for nearly two years while I found my feet after escaping an abusive marriage. It’s no stretch to say that Sansa saved my life and my son’s life, several times over. She was my strength when I was weak, and she was my joy when I felt nothing but sadness. So, Sansa, we’re here to celebrate you today, and I want to sincerely thank you for bringing so much light and color and beauty into the world every day. I love you so much.”

People were clapping and crying and standing, but eventually Dany was able to quiet them down. 

“I’m sorry; I promise I’m almost done. We’ve been friends for ten years now, and I thought I would try to get a gift to reflect our history and Sansa’s very sentimental heart.”

Dany turned around and pulled a large photo frame out of the bag, and Sansa gasped when she turned it around. It was a picture of Sansa, Rhaego, and Dany by the Christmas tree, wearing matching pajamas.

“This picture was taken when Rhaego was ten months old; it was his first Christmas, and my first Christmas with the Starks. Sansa had purchased these delightful matching pajama onesies without telling me, and she said, and I quote, that I had no choice but to wear them. Sansa still hadn’t quite gotten the hang of holding a baby while standing, which is why I’m cringing as my baby was sort of sliding out of Sansa’s grip. He was the happiest baby ever though, which is why he’s still smiling on the way down. Anyways, Sansa still talks about this picture to this day, and she has a small version of it framed in her apartment, but I figured I would present her the first decoration for her new law office.”

Sansa hugged Dany and took the frame from her, and by the twinkle in Sansa’s eye Dany knew she had gotten the perfect gift.

“Before I present you the final part, I would like to offer you a gift from Rhaego. He drew you a wolf because he knows it’s your favorite animal. And he even initialed it at the bottom, so in twenty years you can say you have the very first framed artwork from art prodigy Rhaego Targaryen.”

The guests cooed at the adorable drawing, and Dany returned to the gift bag.

“One more thing,” she said, pulling three pairs of pajamas out of the bag.

“I did get my child to agree to this, so I thought this Christmas, once the tree goes up, you’d like to re-create the picture, seven years later? We’ll still fit in our pjs, but I’m pretty sure Rhaego will need a new pair, as he has grown just a little bit.”

“Oh my God, this is perfect. I can’t wait for Christmas,” Sansa said through the microphone.

One Dany was finished everyone got up to dance, but Sansa pulled Dany to the side before she got the chance to sit down.

“Dany, I can’t think of a better gift. We’ve come a long way since that picture. Thank you so much for doing all this, it means the world to me,” she said, kissing Dany on the cheek.

“Thank you Sansa, we both know full well I wouldn’t be here without you. It’s the least I could do. Now, I’ve had a good bit to drink, and I plan on drinking more, so let’s go dance while I can still stand, shall we?”

Sansa followed Dany frantically through the room, and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Dany, don’t drink too much, we’re not that young anymore.”

“Speak for yourself! Come on, let’s go have fun,” Dany teased, and Sansa relented and followed her to the bar.

…

With a little bit of alcohol, Dany was a magnificent dancer, or so she thought. She was twisting and swaying and jumping and singing, and after weeks of stress about work and Rhaego and herself, it felt amazing. Sansa danced right alongside her, and they stumbled and stepped all over each other. Dany was sweating, and she desperately wanted to remove the sweater she was still wearing, but she ignored it and just kept dancing.

When a slow song came on, Dany decided it was time for a break, and she carefully excused herself from the dance floor. She sat at her seat, going through her phone to check any messages from the babysitter. There were none, so she snuck glances at Sansa and Theon, grinning as she watched him twirl her around. Dany fell into a daydream as she watched, so she nearly fell out of her chair when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Jon,” she said breathlessly, “I thought I saw you here.”

“Can you believe you’re best friends with my cousin?”

“So you’re Lyanna’s son,” she said, slowly piecing the puzzle together.

“Ay,” he grinned.

“I didn’t even know Sansa had a cousin until today,” Dany admitted.

“Well, we’re not the closest to Ned’s family, but we’re working on it. Would you like to dance?” he asked, reaching a hand out to her.

She didn’t know if it was the alcohol or exhaustion, but she took his hand and got out of her chair. F _uck it,_ she thought to herself, ripping off the black sweater as she followed him out to the dance floor. She never let go of his hand, and when they found a free spot, she reached her arms up to his shoulders, and felt him gently rest his hands on her waist, keeping a healthy distance for which she was grateful.

“That was a beautiful speech. I’m so sorry for all that’s happened to you, I had no idea,” Jon said sincerely as he turned to face her.

“Don’t be sorry, I’ve come to peace with it all. Only happy thoughts tonight,” she repeated her little saying.

“Happy thoughts,” he said.

“Sansa said you were in King’s Landing for college, so what brought you back to Winterfell?” Dany asked him.

“I don’t really know. My mom loves King’s Landing, she swears she’ll never move back here, but I just feel like this is my home. I love the winter, and the snow, I couldn’t leave it for the stagnant, humid air in King’s Landing.”

“Spoken like a true northerner,” Dany teased.

“I suppose you’re right,” he pondered.

Their eyes met, and Dany’s smile turned into a serious gaze. She felt hypnotized by his stare, it was as if he could see straight into her soul.

_Stop being ridiculous, it's one dance,”_ she reminded herself.

Her arms unwrapped from around his shoulders until her hands met his, and she felt a reaffirming squeeze as they started to sway back and forth again. He pulled her closer and she didn’t resist, curling against him and resting her head on his chest. Her heart slowed down again, and she felt each movement like a docile ocean wave. His eyes were already waiting when she looked up at him. Their foreheads touched, and Dany suddenly felt very vulnerable, but she wasn’t scared. She reveled in the feeling of being held, something no one had ever done for her without an ulterior motive. But Jon was just holding her. He wasn’t staring at her chest, or trying to slip his hands under her skirt, and she brushed off her past experiences to enjoy this new one.

He was so gentle, and he slowly let go of her hands and wrapped his arms around her. She felt tears pool in her eyes, and she let him spin her around as the song peaked in a rush of emotion. The music died out, and she pulled away from him.

“I changed my mind,” she whispered.

“About what?” he asked calmly.

“Your offer. I will go on a date with you Jon Snow,” she said confidently.

“One dance was all it took?” He chuckled.

“What can I say? You’re a very good dancer,” she said, wishing desperately that she could express to him how much that dance meant to her.

“Should we decide where to go?”

“You have my number now, text me,” she teased, leaving him on the dance floor so she could get water.

On her way back to the table, Sansa caught up to her and tapped her very energetically on the shoulder.

“Dany! That man you were dancing with was Jon. You looked awfully cozy, do you know him?”

Dany froze, and then a smile crept onto her face.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, your cousin is Rhaego’ new teacher. You know, the one I made out with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goodness I really loved writing this. I just want to say that the next update may take a little bit longer than usual, I'm leaving for college tomorrow, so my schedule will be changing. Don't worry though, I will not abandon this fic. Writing is like therapy for me, and I'm terribly nervous for school, so I love to write and escape my world for a little bit in exchange for this one. Plus, who doesn't love to take their stress and trauma out on their characters? Just kidding, kind of ;)


	10. Is this okay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dany and Jon go on their "first" date, but Dany finds it hard to start a new relationship. 
> 
> Warning: does include heavier descriptions of past domestic violence and abuse, nothing is graphic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI! I'm still alive! So, college started, and it's pretty cool so far, and the good news is I think I will have time to write this consistently. I am planning on weekly updates, probably Saturday/Sunday nights. During midterms and finals I obviously might have to skip a week here and there, but I'll be sure to let you know in the previous chapter notes so you don't think I've abandoned it. I'm really glad that I get to keep writing this in my free-time, I have so many things I want to do with this story!
> 
> I know this is long, but thank you all so much for your comments, you're too sweet. It makes me feel so happy that so many people are enjoying this story, and it makes this whole thing even more fun. Y'all are the best! Thank you!

“I think I’m gonna throw up,” Dany said, putting her head in her hands at Sansa’s kitchen table.

“Dany, repeat after me, I need this, I deserve a night out,” Sansa said slowly.

“I need this, I dese… you know, maybe I shouldn’t, Rhaego has his first math test Monday, does he need to study with me?”

“For fuck’s sake Dany, please! Repeat after me!” This was the fourth time she tried to get Dany to repeat her saying, without success.

“I need this, I deserve this, Jon is not Drogo, I will not get caught in another abusive marriage, and if I don’t do this I will very likely die alone,” Sansa said, clearly annoyed.

Exactly one week after the party, Dany and Jon planned to go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Dany had decided to cancel and un-cancel at least ten times during the week, but between Missandei and Sansa’s very inspiring lectures, they had been able to stop her from actually calling Jon to cancel each time. 

Dany looked up at Sansa with eyes full of fear, and quietly repeated it word for word.

“Okay, now we’re talking. You made out with this man, and you pulled a Dirty Dancing finish at my party. I think you should be past the first date jitters, because you’ve basically had two at this point. It’s my cousin, I know he’s a good person, and if he even tries to hurt you, I’ll kill him myself,” Sansa smiled.

“I know I know, it’s just the commitment. What if this goes well, and I have to go out with him again? Will he resent me because I have a kid? Oh god, what if he starts to hate Rhaego like that one 2020 episode?”

Dany looked to Sansa, who had put her head down on the table.

“I give up,” she sighed.

“Okay fine, I’ll stop. But if this goes wrong I’m blaming you.”

“God, you’re so annoying. Get out of my house,” Sansa sighed as she pushed Dany out of her chair and towards the door. 

“Wait, I have to say goodbye to Rhaego!”

“He’s probably on the patio with Ghost, I’ll tell him that you love him and all that, just go, you’re going to be late to your own goddamn date! Get back home so that he can pick you up and it can be cute!” Sansa said, pushing her out of the door.

Dany sulked on her way down the driveway, but she heard Sansa whistle at her through the cracked door.

“Hey, I love you. And you know, if you get some unwarranted memories, remember what we do.”

“Breathe, and find the present. I love you too,” Dany said as she walked away.

While she joked about it with Sansa, Dany was truly terrified. It wasn’t really the date she had worries about, it was the start of a relationship. When Viserys introduced Dany to Drogo at a party, he had been so kind and sweet to her that she felt like she would be loved and safe forever with him. He had changed so fast that by the first time he hit her, she didn’t have time to stop anything; she couldn’t stop Viserys from moving her in with him, she couldn’t stop her marriage to him at 17 years old, and she couldn’t stop the baby that she found herself pregnant with when she was 18. The word “no” from Dany became as meaningless to Drogo as her silence that usually followed.

The lack of control over her own life and body had kept Dany from ever seriously pursuing another relationship, but she really wanted to try with Jon. He was kind, and gentle, and beautiful, but she knew all too well how fast all of those things could change.

She got back home and changed into a simple black dress for the date. She re-braided her hair, and put on a touch of make-up. She jumped when her phone started to ring, but when she looked at the caller-ID, it was from Essos. She declined the call, figuring it was some sort of spam, and continued to get ready until she heard the doorbell ring.

"It’s just Jon, we like Jon," she repeated to herself as she went to answer the door.

She felt reassured just by looking at him. He was wearing a lovely gray suit, and held a blue rose in his hand.

Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her, and she covered her hand with her mouth.

“Excuse me for just one second,” she said quickly, diving for the bathroom.

As she threw up the majority of her lunch, she was startled to feel a hand gently pressed against her back, and another pulling her hair behind her shoulders. She turned her head to look at Jon, whose eyes were full of concern.

“Are you alright Dany?”

“I’m so sorry, I think I’m a bit nervous.” Her eyes stung with tears.

“Don’t apologize, here,” Jon smiled at her sympathetically, offering her a tissue.

She sat for a moment, and finally moved back from the toilet. He offered his hands to help her up, and she took them reluctantly.

“I think I’m done,” she murmured.

“Dany, if you’re uncomfortable, we don’t have to go out. I just thought you felt what I did for you, but you seem terrified to even go to dinner with me,” he said calmly.

She shook her head, and looked up at him with eyes full of hurt.

“Jon, it’s not you, I swear it.” 

She thought back to all of her years in therapy, and the talks she had with Sansa just this week.

“Jon, I am going to tell you something that I don't really like to talk about. You know that I am a survivor of domestic violence, but what I don't tell anyone is that I still suffer from PTSD. Some days I don’t think about it at all, and other days it’s as if I can’t get past the fact that it happened to me. The thing is, that relationship started off very normally. I haven’t gone on a date since Rhaego was 3, and it lasted for two days, mainly because I couldn't handle all of the memories resurfacing. It's the start of a new relationship that scares me, and I understand if you don’t want to try this, but I do, I really do feel…good things about you,” she said, looking at the floor.

Silence followed: the type silence that Dany knew all too well. It was the pity silence. The 'she’s really fucked up' kind of silence that made her feel like her anxiety and negative experiences were all that anyone would ever see in her once she’d told them. She wished she could have disappeared right then and there, but Jon very carefully, and very slowly pulled her into a hug. She felt his arms wrap around her tiny frame, and tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Is this okay?” He asked.

“Yes,” she sighed, feeling the tension in her body diminish.

“What I said was insensitive, and I’m sorry. Thank you for telling me that.You are a survivor Dany; you didn’t deserve what happened to you. You’ve managed to do so much with your life, and you haven’t let it define who you are. I know I couldn’t do that. I have feelings for you, but we will take this at your pace, or we don’t have to at all. You are in control.”

“I want to date you Jon, I really do. Just, please, be patient. I'm sorry."

“Dany, it’s okay. If you ever want to talk about it, I will listen, but if you just tell me that something makes you uncomfortable, you know I’ll stop, no questions asked. I’m a decent person, I swear.”

“You’re more than a decent person, I know that,” Dany sniffled.

“Here, I got this for you,” he said, pulling away to once again showing her the rose.

“It’s beautiful, where did you find this in September?” She whispered, looking at the magnificent winter rose.

“I know someone who lives a little bit further north than Castle Black, so I had him express ship it.

“That’s so kind,” she whispered, taking it gently, “thank you.”

After she had brushed her teeth and fixed her hair, she met him again in the kitchen.

“Oh my god, we’re going to miss the reservation. Jon, I’m so sorry, I’ve ruined the night,” she said quietly.

He looked to the clock, and shrugged.

“Let’s go somewhere new. Somewhere you’ve never gone before, so that we can make all new memories,” he suggested.

“That sounds lovely. How about…well no, that’s childish,” she trailed off.

“Oh come on, it can’t be that bad, what is it?” He encouraged.

“It’s, well, last year Rhaego went to this art studio where they teach you how to draw a design or landscape that you choose for one of his friend’s birthday parties. I didn’t participate, but it looked like a lot of fun. Is that too childish?”

Jon clapped his hands together and stood up, “no, that’s a marvelous idea. Let’s go see who is the better artist. I have a feeling it’s not me.”

…

As they walked out of the studio, Dany couldn’t stop laughing at Jon’s painting. They had both tried to draw a frozen waterfall and winter landscape, but his looked more like a blizzard with zero visibility, as the instructor had described it. It was quite clear that Dany had won this challenge, as her painting at least resembled what they had set out to create.

“I told you I can’t draw to save my life,” he said.

“Yes, well, I had assumed some level of exaggeration. I didn’t know you were being so literal.”

“I’m a pretty literal person, as you’ll come to see.”

Dany blushed as his hand brushed hers, and she wrapped her fingers in between his.

“Is this okay?” He asked cautiously as he squeezed her hand.

“Yes, it’s okay. Your hand, why do you have so many callouses?”

“Oh, well, I started guitar lessons a couple of months ago, and I don’t like using the pick.”

“Are you any good?”

“Well, Ghost would howl when I played to drown me out, and to be honest, I think he’s right. I sucked at piano when I was a kid, I’m guess I’m not very musically inclined.”

“I’m sure you’re not that bad, I’d love to hear you play sometime.”

“We’ll have to see. I’m starving, how about you,” he asked, trying to change the topic.

“We never did end up eating. I have an idea, let’s go get the worst fast food we can find,” she teased, a spark in her eyes.

“You just threw up like two hours ago, are you sure?” He warned.

“Yes, those were nerves, I promise I'll be okay. Fun fact, I never throw up.”

“Never?”

“Well, I did when I was pregnant with Rhaego, that was a nightmare,” she laughed.

“Oh god, he certainly owes you. But you’ve never gotten the flu? Or the stomach bug?”

She shook her head and shrugged.

“How? You work in a children’s hospital!”

“Yeah, in the NICU, we wear masks and gowns, nothing gets in or out of my air supply, that’s for sure.”

“As an elementary school teacher, it’s required that you get the stomach bug at least twice in a school year.”

“Oh, I didn’t even think of that. I keep Rhaego at arm’s length when he’s sick from school. He’s a really affectionate kid, so I bring home masks from the hospital before I let him lay on me.”

“Maybe I could borrow some when winter rolls around. You know, as a precaution,” he suggested.

“I’ll see what I can do,” Dany giggled.

…

They sat in the back of Jon’s car, eating very unhealthy food that Dany, as a nurse, felt like she should report to the health department. As she took another handful of fries from the bag, she gasped when she glanced at Jon’s watch.

“Oh my god, it’s 11:00!” She exclaimed.

“Yeah, do you have a curfew?” He said sarcastically.

“Jon, I have a young child!” She exclaimed, slightly frustrated.

“Oh, I guess he needs his mom home at some point,” he joked, getting into the driver’s seat.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’d appreciate it,” she sighed.

The drive home was rather quiet, but Dany enjoyed Jon’s company, and she caught herself staring at him as he drove. Very slowly, he sneaked his arm across the center console to rest his hand on her thigh. She felt like she was fifteen again, but it still sent tingles up her spine.

“Okay?” He asked.

“Yes, this is okay,” she said, hiding a smile.

Once they got to Dany’s house, Jon opened her car door and walked her to the porch. After she opened the front door, she turned to face him.

“Thank you, for tonight. I never really got to go on a typical high school date, there was something very comforting about finally staying out past curfew, even if I am 26.”

“It was my pleasure, and I’m honored that I got to act like a high school boy again, hopefully a more mature one than the ones you dealt with. And with a nicer car.”

Dany laughed, and looked up at Jon. His eyes glistened in the porch light. 

“Would it be okay if I kissed you?” He asked.

“Yes, I think so,” she answered after a moment.

Their lips met, and even though they had already kissed, it felt like the first time again. He was much more gentle than he had been at school, and Dany wondered if telling him her history was a mistake. She didn’t have time to consider it, because Jon placed his hands on her waist and gently pulled her body against him, giving her plenty of time if she wanted to escape. But she didn’t. Now, she leaned into him, and she felt the muscular outline of his body pressed against her chest. She could nearly feel the urgency in his hands to explore her body, but he kept them planted firmly on her hips. A tiny moan escaped from her lips, and after another few seconds Jon pulled away.

She watched him fix his hair, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks, which were hot to the touch.

“We should save some for the subsequent dates, shouldn’t we?”

“Yes, I think so,” she panted.

“Goodnight Dany, I had a great time tonight, even if I learned I can't paint either,” Jon said warmly.

“Good thing you're not an artist. But seriously, thank you, for everything,” Dany said, and she knew he understood by the gentle nod he gave.

She waved as he drove off, and within 5 minutes Sansa pulled into the driveway with Rhaego fast asleep in the backseat. Dany walked out to Sansa, and picked Rhaego up out of his car seat. He didn’t so much as stir, and she smiled at his cute little face all smushed against her shoulder. She wrapped one arm around his legs and grabbed Ghost’s leash with the other, and Ghost jumped out of the backseat and began licking Dany’s legs, excited to see her again.

“They were both great, they ate dinner and played outside for most of the night. I managed to give Rhaego a bath without Ghost jumping in, so he can go straight to bed. I’m getting pretty good at this baby sitting thing,” Sansa said proudly.

“Thank you so much, I owe you.”

“Yes, well, pay me back with details! How did it go?” 

Rhaego started to move, and Dany shushed Sansa as she began swaying side to side to keep him asleep.

“It was great, I’ll call you once we get it, I don’t want him to wake up,” Dany whispered, kissing her gently on the cheek.

“I’ll be waiting at home for a call,” Sansa warned, getting back into her car.

As Dany walked into the dark house, Rhaego’s eyes fluttered open lazily.

“Mama?” He asked.

“Shh, go back to sleep pumpkin, you’re fine,” she cooed.

“Mama, who’s Drogo? Why did you talk about him with Aunt Sansa?” he mumbled quietly.

Dany felt chills, and not the good ones this time. He must have overheard her talk with Sansa earlier. Her skin prickled, and she lowered him into his bed. Ghost followed, curling up in his usual spot at the foot of the bed.

“It’s no one Rhaego, good night, I love you,” she said quickly, pulling his blankets over him and hurrying out of the room before he could say anything else. 

She shut the door to her room and shuddered. She would never escape Drogo, no matter how much she tried to keep him out of her mind and far from Rhaego’s. Somehow, Rhaego had never asked about his father before, but Dany knew that the question was inevitable as he got older. But why now? She had had an incredible time with Jon tonight, and she had felt, for just a second, that maybe her past could be beaten. She deserved love, she deserved someone who would love her for everything that she was, and she felt like all of this was a possibility now. She took a cold shower, trying to sort the thoughts out in her mind. Her phone rang again with the same number from Essos, and she declined the call. 

Her mind wandered back to the day she decided to leave Drogo, when she was debating whether to take Rhaego to the hospital, or drive straight to the airport. She felt another wave of nausea hit her, and a crushing feeling weigh on her chest. Running a hand over her scars, she tried to remember what she had been told in therapy: this does not make you weak, it makes you stronger. She just wanted it to stop, she wanted it all to stop. 

"What am I going to do?" She worried as she crawled into bed.

She struggled to turn off the lamp, and it was then she realized then how badly she was shaking. She picked up the phone from the nightstand and called Sansa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Dany. All I will say is that sometimes things will have to get worse before they get better. Thanks for reading! I honestly have no idea what I want to do with the next chapter yet, but I'm sure I'll figure it out. I have an outline, I swear :) Maybe something focused on Jon or Rhaego to change it up.
> 
> P.S. If you can, avoid living near a hospital. There's an emergency room entrance right outside of my building, and I swear to god I've heard like three sirens in the time it took to write this.


	11. Injuries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hectic week in the life of Jon Snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I know I said these would be weekly updates but I had some extra time today and I managed to finish this chapter and I was excited to share it so surprise! It's sort of four mini-chapters smushed together, and besides one they're pretty light-hearted/fun. I wanted to explore Jon's thoughts about the date and whatnot, and add more depth to his character development, which I tried to do. Just so you know this chapter takes course over the span of about a week.

Lyanna was packing her suitcase when Jon got home from Dany’s, and he nearly had a heart-attack when he saw her in the living room.

“Mom, why are you still up?”

“Well, I wanted to wait for you to get home, and then I started packing so I didn’t have to do it tomorrow morning. I guess I got carried away. Jon, this foster cat you have is quite obnoxious, she doesn’t listen to anything I say. She walked all over my clothes, no matter how many times I told her to stop.”

“What did you call her?”

“Beans, isn’t that her name?”

“Yes, but you have to call her Miss Beans. If you don’t she won’t listen to you.”

“What the hell happened while I was in King’s Landing. Did a nuclear reactor explode? Miss Beans my ass, I decide what to call her, I’m the human!”

Jon sighed and the cat came right up to him, purring as he scratched behind her ears.

“Oh, I almost forgot, how was your date? Oh, she’s such a lovely lady, was it lovely?”

Jon smiled and nodded, and Lyanna went over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Well, I won’t pry, but I’m glad you have new romantic prospects. After Ygritte, I didn’t know if…”

“Mom, stop, that was years ago. We’ve moved on.”

“Of course, I’m sorry. Well, it’s nearly 12:30. I think I’ll get to sleep, I’m happy for you Jon.”

“Mom, wait,” he said, looking down at the ground.

She ran her fingers through her hair and turned back to him with curious eyes.

“Can you come sit with me for a minute, I have to ask you something?”

“Well, of course,” she said softly, sitting on the sofa and patting the cushion beside her.

“You’re a clinical psychologist, which is the only reason I’m going to tell you about this, but you can’t tell anyone. I’m not trying to tell a story, I just need to know how to help her.”

“Jon, what happened?” Lyanna said, the concern evident in her voice.

“Okay, do you remember at Sansa’s party, when Dany said that Sansa helped her escape an abusive marriage? I think it was much worse than she let on. Like, much much worse. When I got to the house, she was physically ill, and she admitted to me that she was nervous to even go on a date because of how bad her last relationship was. I really like her Mom, but I don’t want to make things worse for her, what do I do? Is it better for me to leave her alone?”

“Oh, sweetie, that’s a loaded question. PTSD is different for everyone, but the same basic principles apply. You, first and foremost, have to pay close attention, and listen. It’s important to understand that completely normal things can be very difficult to get through for survivors. It may seem like a mundane event to you, but to her it could be a memory of something terrible. If your relationship does progress, you’re going to want to ask her about what might trigger her, if she’s comfortable. It’s a hard thing to deal with Jon, but if you develop a steady, healthy relationship, her symptoms will decrease significantly over time.”

“Patient, attentive, healthy, I can do those things. God, Mom, I feel so bad, when I looked into her eyes, she was so terrified, I could only imagine what she’s been through,” he said, tears slipping down his cheeks.

“Come here,” Lyanna said, and she pulled Jon into an embrace.

He felt silly crying to his Mom, but she wrapped her arms around him, and he felt better immediately.

“Jon, it’s really hard to see people suffer, I know, it’s a part of my job. But people are resilient. That girl, she’s special, and you will learn everyday just how strong she is. And if you like her, don’t let this stop you. She’s still a person with hopes and dreams and talents and troubles. And everyone wants love.”

“I think I’m in love with her, I think I was the first time I saw her.”

“Do I have to diagnose you too now? Oxytocin is a hell of a hormone, but I don’t think you’re in love quite yet. Let me know in a couple of months, okay?”

“Okay,” he said meekly.

“And Jon,” she added, “domestic violence, it’s a terrible thing. If she ever opens up to you, you may hear things that will shake you to your core. She may have scars, and she may not like certain displays of affection, so try to be prepared for that. Don’t react too strongly, a lot of victims don’t like pity, and they don’t like being called victims. I prefer the term survivor, because it gives them the control back. I know it’s a lot to think about and handle, but if you really want to pursue this, it will help you both.”

“She’s so much more than her past Mom. She’s incredibly smart, and funny, and the way her eyes sparkle when you tell her something amusing, she could light up an entire room with them. We painted today, and do you know what I noticed? She sticks her tongue out when she’s concentrating. Not all the way, just a tiny bit, and she stays so still. God, I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way.”

Lyanna smiled at him and tousled his hair, “Oh Jon, I’m so happy for you. You know, she told me she’s a NICU nurse? Do you have any idea how hard that is? It makes working with any kind of adult look like a cake-walk.”

“Yeah, she’s awesome,” Jon yawned.

“I think it’s bedtime for you,” Lyanna teased, and Jon sat up.

“Yeah, I’ve got to take someone to the airport tomorrow morning,” he said as he walked slowly towards his bedroom.

“Oh, you’ll miss me,” she called.

“Yes, I certainly will.”

…

“Beric, if you don’t put down those safety scissors, you will be in time out for the rest of the day!” Jon yelled, chasing after the six year old with a strange affinity for the orange scissors. 

The morning had been a disaster of titanic proportions. Jon knew he should have stayed in bed when he woke up at 6:30 instead of 6:00. He had missed his usual morning workout, didn’t have time to dry his hair after showering, and had to settle for a protein bar instead of his usual avocado toast. Now, at noon, three behavior referrals, four tantrums (one from Jon), and a deranged child on the loose with scissors, Jon was about ready to call out sick for rest of the day.

He was sitting with his head in his hands at his desk when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He looked up to see Lyanna starring at him with a look of panic he had never seen on her typically stoic face.

“What’s wrong Lyanna?” He asked.

“Can you come over? It’s Rhaego,” she answered quietly.

He followed her over to the corner of the classroom rug to see Rhaego clutching his leg, clearly in pain.

“Hey buddy, what’s going on?” Jon asked gently, sitting down beside him.

“It does this sometimes, I didn’t put on my brace this morning, and it got stuck,” he grimaced.

Jon looked at Rhaego’s leg to see exactly what Dany had warned him about: his muscle had tightened, causing his toes to point straight down. Jon winced as he knelt beside him: it looked incredibly painful.

“Alright, it’s okay, what do you typically do when this happens?” 

“Mama has to push it back, or I have to get a shot at the doctor to relax my leg,” Rhaego explained.

“Okay, hey, everyone, no crowding around! Go back to your seats, and, and color, or read. Do something productive, and don’t eavesdrop!” Jon said, turning his focus back to Rhaego. 

“I don’t think I should try to push it back, I’m not a medical professional. Should I call your mom, or would you like to go to the school nurse?” Jon asked.

“Please call Mama,” Rhaego pleaded, and Jon could tell how badly he wanted her there. He couldn’t blame him, the school nurse was quite a cranky lady.

“Okay, you stay with Shireen and Lyanna, and I’m going to call her, okay?”

Rhaego nodded, and Jon picked up the phone at his desk. It rang for longer than usual, but finally Dany picked up.

“Hello?” She answered groggily.

“Dany, it’s Jon, were you sleeping?”

“Yeah, I’m working night shift for the next two weeks, do you need something?” She yawned, clearly eager to go back to bed.

“Well, Rhaego’s leg is very tense, and he told me that you usually have to bend it down or take him to the doctor’s when this happens, I wasn’t sure what to do.”

“Oh God, was he not wearing his brace? He keeps taking it off because he’s self-conscious about it. Okay, well, keep him sitting down, and don’t, under any circumstances, let him try to fix it. I’ll be there in 10 minutes,” she said.

“Okay,” he answered, but she had already hung up the phone.

“Rhaego, your mom will be here in 10 minutes, alright? Just sit tight there on the floor, well, you’re already tight, no pun intended,” Jon stammered as Rhaego looked at him in confusion.

He managed to get his students working on a math worksheet while he was waiting for Dany. She showed up in a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt from her nursing school.

“You look cozy,” Jon smiled, and she playfully hit his shoulder and walked past him into the classroom. 

She walked over to Rhaego and tears filled in his eyes.

“Rhaego, buddy, you’ve got to wear that brace. We can’t keep going to the doctor every time this happens, I know for a fact that you don’t like getting poked in the leg each time.”

Rhaego shook his head, and Dany pulled him into a hug.

“Okay, let’s go,” she said, picking him up and settling him on her hip.

“Do you want me to carry him out to the car for you?” Jon asked.

“He’s not a piece of furniture Jon. Thank you though, I’ve got it,” she smiled, surprising him with a very quick peck on the cheek when his students couldn’t see. 

Jon’s vision blurred for just a moment, and he waved off as she walked around the corner. He froze when Cersei passed him in the hallway with a skeptical glance, but she kept walking without a word, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

As he entered the classroom, everyone was miraculously still working on their worksheets. All hell hadn’t broken loose as he’d expected it to.

“Mr. Snow, is Rhaego gonna be okay? Are they going to have to cut his leg off?” Shireen asked, tears spilling over her eyes.

“What? No, Shireen, dear, they are not going to have to do anything like that. Rhaego has a condition that can cause his muscles to be too tight sometimes, and he just needs some medicine to help them relax. Maybe, if he’s comfortable, we could have a class discussion about it so that no one is scared. We’ll see,” he said, patting her shoulder.

“Okay class,” he said as he clapped his hands, “let’s go over our addition worksheet, shall we?”

…

Jon pulled into his favorite coffee shop after school, and was relieved to see Sam’s car already in the parking lot. He ordered his typical drink and went to sit at the table Sam had saved for them.

“Jon, how was your day?” Sam asked cheerfully.

“A series of unfortunate events. The kids were on crack Sam, I swear. One kid asked me why the sky is blue, and I realized, I have no idea why the sky is blue. Why is the sky blue Sam?” Jon asked.

Sam shrugged, “don’t look at me, I’m an English teacher. Today, we had the most interesting discussion about how the format of stories impact their purpose, and debated which format: the short story or novel, is more powerful.”

“That’s freaking fascinating Sam,” Jon snapped.

“Okay, what is your problem?” Sam asked.

“I’m sorry, it was just a rough day. I got a late start too, so I’ve been a half hour off all day.”

“Oh my God, a half hour is not going to kill you. Jon, I’m sorry to say this, but I think you need a woman in your life to help you organize it. Because whatever you’ve got going on, it is not working.”

“What do you mean it’s not working? It’s gotten me this far, and, I’ll have you know, I was on a date, and it went really well.”

“Oh yeah, who was the lucky lady?”

“Her name is Daenerys.”

“Daenerys, from the South I suppose?”

“Yes, but she lived in Essos for a while, and then moved to Winterfell about six years ago. It went really well Sam, I think there’s something there.”

“That’s great Jon, how did you meet her?”

“Oh, well, um, do you remember that night, when the mom of one of my student’s kissed me? Yeah, it’s her.”

Sam nearly choked on his coffee.

“Holy shit Jon, okay. How much older is she? If she already has a seven year old…”

“No, Sam, she’s younger than me. Don’t worry about it, okay? She’s special, I know it.”

“Well, what can I say? I’m happy for you Jon,” Sam said, reaching over and patting Jon on the back. 

“Wasn’t there something else that you wanted to tell me?” He added while Jon took another sip of coffee.

“Oh, yeah. So, I applied for that study abroad teaching program over in Essos, and I was offered the job. It starts in January if I want it.”

“Oh my God! When do you have to decide by?”

“December 1st, so I’ve still got like two months. If things with Dany continue to progress though, I think I’ll turn it down.”

“What? You’ve wanted this job for a year now! How could you not accept?”

“I haven’t not accepted yet, I just want to wait and see.”

“This relationship must be quite serious Jon,” Sam teased.

“Ugh, can we please talk about something else!”

“Okay, but you brought it up! How is the story competition going? Has there been a winner?”

“Yes, it was the frog one.”

“Really, I thought for sure it would have been the one with the dragons.”

“It was winning at first, but the kids can’t stand the ending. The Queen dies at the end.”

“Yes, and?”

“What kind of crap ending is that?”

“Well, it’s realistic. She wasn’t meant to take over the world.”

“She wasn’t taking over anything, she was trying to save the world! And that bastard who killed her, I hated him. What a joke. He loved her, you don’t kill the people you love! That’s not a very good book for children, maybe you should tell them to keep the subject matter a little bit more PG next time?”

“Yeah, sorry I should have vetted them. I forget you work with the little ones,” Sam smiled.

“Sometimes I do too,” Jon sighed, taking another sip of his coffee.

…

Sweat was dripping down Jon’s face as he swung at the punching bag in front of him. Usually he just preferred cardio and weight-lifting, but today he was angry. He had such a bad week that he needed a way to vent his frustration. His students had been terrible, he had the new job opportunity to worry about, he wasn’t waking up naturally at 6 anymore, and to add to it, the cat had scratched him this morning while he was searching for his contacts in the dark. The music in the gym was loud and intense, invigorating him further, and he used it as inspiration to just keep swinging. His heart was racing, and in his blind rage, he missed the bag. His shoulder kept lunging forward, and he felt a large pop. He groaned in pain, and other people working out turned around to look at him.

“Are you alright?” One of the coaches asked as he approached him.

“No,” Jon grunted, grabbing at his shoulder.

“Oh god, I think you dislocated your shoulder, hang on, is anyone here a doctor or nurse?” The coach turned to the gym, but no one responded.

“It’s fine, I just need someone to drive me to the hospital so that I can get it put back in. You can call Samwell Tarly, I think he’s my emergency contact.”

“There’s a Zumba class going on in the other room, do you want me to ask if there’s someone in there to help?” One of the gym members asked.

“Yes, please, I don’t want to hurt him further” the coach said as he searched for his first aid kit.

Jon was frustrated that no one had listened to him, and he held his arm as it throbbed.

“I found someone!” The man said, and Jon’s jaw dropped to the floor when Dany walked in.

“I’m a nurse, what ha… Jon?”

She was wearing a tight pair of tights and a sports bra, and Jon had to look away as she approached him, his heart beating even faster than it had been from the workout. She was so beautiful, even with sweat plastered to her face and her hair a curly disaster as it fell out of the braids.

“Dany?” He said as his mine raced simultaneously, taking her in. 

“Jon, what the hell did you do to your arm?”

“I, missed the punching bag. I think it’s dislocated. I didn’t know you come here,” he said.

“Well, usually I don’t, but Sansa had a free guest pass, and she dragged me in to do Zumba with her on my day off.”

“You know him?” The coach asked.

“Yeah, he’s, well, we’re dating.”

The coach raised his eyebrows, and Jon tried to hide his face as it turned bright red. Did she just admit they were dating?”

“That’s beside the point, can you move your arm?” 

“A little,” he said, grimacing as he tried to lift his shoulder.

“Okay, well don’t force any movement, that will make it worse,” she said as she felt for certain muscles and tendons around his shoulder.

“Do I need to go to the hospital?”

“No, I’ll pop it back in the socket. Can you get your shirt off?” She asked.

Jon’s heart stopped: this was not how he had imagined his first time being shirtless in front of her.

“No, I can’t lift my arm,” he stalled.

“Okay, can someone get me scissors?” She asked as everyone stood around watching.

Someone brought her scissors, and she expertly cut him out of his shirt in seconds.

“How did you do that so quickly?”

“I had my ER rotations in nursing school. We’d have to cut incapacitated drunk dudes out of their clothes all of the time to put in a central line, I got pretty good at it.”

“Jesus,” Jon sighed as Dany threw his shirt to the side. 

“Okay, lay down,” she said, pointing to the ground.

“What?” He said incredulously.

“You heard me, lay down. It’s easier for me to pop it back in.”

With her help, he laid down on the ground. He had never seen Dany in nurse mode, but she was much more commanding and confident than she had been in civilian life. He liked to see her in her element, and he could tell right away how much she loved her job.

“Okay, this may hurt a little bit, I’m going to wind it around and kind of just shove it back in,” she explained.

“Are you sure you can do this, don’t you work with babies?”

“Jon, a dislocated shoulder is a dislocated shoulder. I’ve fixed them in babies after they’re born, this is just on a bigger scale. I’ve got it.”

He couldn’t argue with her, so he nodded, and she squatted beside him.

“Okay, one, two, three.”

He screamed out as she popped it back in within seconds. Everyone in the gym collectively cringed.

“Holy fuck!” He exclaimed as she moved it around to make sure it was secure.

“Alright, you’re good. Keep it in a sling for two weeks, and it will settle. Don’t use it until it stops hurting, okay?” She said, patting him on the other shoulder.

“That was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. That must be the worst pain anyone can experience,” Jon panted.

“Try giving birth,” she challenged, and Jon blushed.

“Sorry, yeah, you’re right, that must be worse. I mean, I’ve never seen one, but I’m pretty sure I would pass out. I have lots of respect for you, that must have…”

“Jon, stop, I was kidding. Shoulder dislocation is extremely painful, I know. Calm down, you’re alright,” she said soothingly, sitting on the floor beside him.

“I found this in the back,” the coach said as he brought over a sling for Jon.

He winced as Dany helped him into it.

“You probably shouldn’t drive home, would you like me to take you?” She asked.

“Oh no, what would you do with your car? I can call a friend, don’t worry about me.”

“I came with Sansa so she could just follow me to your house, I really don’t mind Jon,” she offered again.

“Okay. Thank you so much, I owe you.”

“Nonsense, come on, let’s go get Sansa.”

They walked into the hallway to see Sansa waiting in the lobby.

“There you are, I thought someone had a stroke in there or something. Jon? What are you doing here, oh my god, was it you that got hurt?”

“Yeah, I dislocated my shoulder, but your friend here helped me out,” Jon said.

“I have to drive him home, can you follow me there and drive me back?”

“Oh, I suppose,” Sansa joked, wiping sweat from her forehead.

“Is Zumba that intense? You both look like you ran a marathon or something.”

“Oh yes, it’s very hardcore, you should try it with us next time,” Sansa teased as they made their way to the parking lot. 

…

“So, is Rhaego okay? I thought since he wasn’t in school yesterday that he was still in pain?” Jon said as Dany pulled out of the parking lot.

“Well, I took him to the doctor to get the diazepam on Thursday and then they wanted him to go to a neurologist and orthopedic surgeon for an updated consult afterwards and I thought I could get him in to see both doctors on Friday but they didn’t have any appointments that soon so I just gave up and took him for ice cream.”

Jon chuckled, “well, I’m sure the attendance secretaries will love that explanation.”

“Hey, for anyone asking, he was sick. Understood?”

Jon zipped his lips with his good arm, and Dany smiled.

“Is he going to be okay? Neurologists, and surgeons, that sounds pretty serious.”

Dany sighed, “I don’t know. His symptoms have been getting worse, but I don’t know what they can really do. I feel so bad, it’s not easy for him.”

“I can’t imagine what he has to deal with, I’m sorry.”

“He’s a tough kid, he’ll be okay,” she said as Jon directed her into the apartment complex.

“Well, this is my stop, thank you so much Dany,” he said, getting out to open the car door for her with his good arm.

“No worries, ice it, and take some pain relievers! Call me if you have any questions, I don’t mind.”

“Will do,” he said.

Sansa pulled into the driveway, and Dany waved goodbye as she started to walk away. Jon got her attention, however, and she turned around.

“I forgot to give you this, for your medical services today,” he said, walking over and placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

She grinned and looked up at him with a mischievous look in her eyes.

“Thank you for the most interesting second date I’ve ever had.”

Jon walked to his apartment with a stupid smile plastered to his face the entire time. Maybe he had the worst work week ever, and maybe he didn’t know what he was doing with his life, and maybe he had just dislocated his shoulder, but he would have done it all over again if it meant a couple of minutes with Dany.

“Daenerys, what a pretty name, have you ever heard a name so pretty?” He said to the cat as he walked through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all again for writing such nice comments, I'm so glad you like the story, and I hope you'll like all of the drama and fun I have planned.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


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